Preface: introduction to mediawriting -- Communication theory and news values -- Getting started: in the beginning is the lead -- Legal considerations in media writing -- Ethical decisions in writing and reporting -- Basics of writing and editing -- Basic news stories -- Interviewing: gathering information from people -- Research in communication -- Using quotations and sources in news stories -- Features: alternatives story types -- Preparing broadcast copy -- Reporting for radio and television -- Writing and reporting in the new New media -- Writing news releases -- Writing for organizational media -- Advocacy and speechwriting -- Advertising copywriting -- Afterword: communication, the future, and you.