24-Hour Deadline Story

You have learnt about the inverted pyramid style of news writing and leads. Now you
will write a story that should be minimally edited for publication. Your assignment is to write a
500-word story (not more than two pages) based on the set of facts below for publication in
tomorrow’s edition of our imaginary class newspaper known as the Carbondale Times-
Observer. Limit yourself to the facts presented below. Note that the information below is not
arranged in a logical order. Use your good judgment to know how to present your story in the
inverted pyramid style.

Note:
1. Your story should be type-written, double spaced. Use the inverted pyramid style, with a
very strong lead.
2. Your ability to write a story that reflects the issues involved in the set of facts below and
in a logical “inverted pyramid” sequence, will earn you good marks.
3. This assignment carries 50 points. Send it to the instructor via blackboard before 6 p.m.
tomorrow, November 12, 2009. If you have questions, do not hesitate to let me know.

Fact File:

1. Mr. Yasuo Fakuda is the prime minister of Japan. On Monday night, he suddenly
announced his resignation at a hastily convened press conference in his office in Tokyo,
capital of Japan. The resignation appeared to have caught the country by surprise.
2. Japan is the second largest economy after the U.S.
3. Mr. Fakuda came to office in September, 2007. He belongs to the Liberal Party of Japan.
4. Mr. Fakuda is 72. His resignation will take effect from the 1st of October this year.
5. In his press conference, the prime minister said the main reason for the resignation was to
enable “a new team to carry out policies” – underscoring his government’s inability to
pass crucial laws in a legislature where the opposition controls the upper chamber of
parliament.
6. Mr. Fakuda is said not to be a colorful politician, and this may have caused his
government to underperform. Last year his predecessor, Prime Minister Shinto Abe,
resigned in a similar manner
7. By stepping aside, the prime minister has created an opportunity for the emergence of a
new Liberal Party leadership in readiness for parliamentary elections scheduled for next
year.
8. The largest opposition party in parliament is the Democratic Party. Its leader, Mr.
Fujiyama, welcomed the prime minister’s resignation and called it “a timely and healthy
omen for the progress of democracy in Japan.”
9. At the time of his resignation, Mr. Fakuda’s approval rating had fallen to 30 percent,
from 65 percent when he came to office.