Small details, big meaning
How journalists decide what belongs in the story
Reporters know that small details bring stories to life for the audience. Journalism professors are fond of saying, "Get the name of the dog."
Why? Details are revealing. It says so much about the owner if the dog's name is "Cujo" or "Scooby."
Journalists occasionally latch on to a detail they believe is significant, though they too often forget to tell the audience what that significance is. Sometimes, the reporting in the story does not demonstrate that a certain detail is meaningful.
When a car plunged over a cliff in California earlier this month, an NPR reader wondered why it was important to say that the car was a
