Contest 01: Newswriting

INSTRUCTIONS: ASSIGNMENT: • Write your news story You will be watching a video that contains some clips of ’s new using any word processing Governor, , from his inauguration and first interview with local program you choose. Montana news station KHQ. There is also some supplementary material • Next, convert the file to a provided on this sheet. After viewing the interview and reading this material, PDF for submission. write a news story of no more than 350 words. You may NOT make up additional facts or quotes. You may select from the information here and • Entries must be uploaded from the interviews, but do not do any additional research on your own. Be by 6 p.m. CDT March 15, sure to look for a specific angle for your story. 2021. Topic: Greg Gianforte, Montana Governor DO NOT INCLUDE Greg Gianforte was elected governor Nov. 3, 2020. He is the first Republican to YOUR NAME OR serve in that office in 16 years since Judy Martz left office in 2005. SCHOOL NAME ON YOUR ENTRY. The state had an 81.33% voter turnout. In 2016, the turnout was 74.44%. Steve Bullock had held the office since 2013. His term expired Jan. 4, 2021, as he maxed out the number of years Montana allows anybody to serve as governor. What Gianforte received more votes than any candidate for governor in Montana history. judges He also won with the largest margin for a first-term governor since 1920. He campaigned on “getting Montana’s economy going again, getting Montana safely look for open for business and getting Montanans back to work in good-paying jobs” according to his website.

• Informative lead that hooks In his time in the private sector, Gianforte founded five different startup companies reader and worked to improve Montana’s economy through what he calls the “Better Montana Jobs” project. He also launched scholarship programs to help low-income • Use of facts rather than students and veterans pursue education and training to start careers in Montana. generalizations In 2016, Gianforte ran for governor, losing to Bullock. In May 2017, Gianforte • Good use of colorful defeated Democratic opponent in a special election for Montana’s at- detail, quotes, attribution, large congressional seat to fill a vacancy created by the appointment of description and transitions as Secretary of the Interior.

• Concise writing He served as Montana’s at-large congressional district representative from 2017 to 2021. He did not seek re-election to the House of Representatives in 2020 and • Few convention errors instead entered the gubernatorial race, where he defeated Democratic candidate . • Consistent use of journalistic style Gianforte has been married to his wife, Susan, since 1988. They have four children whom Gianforte says they have loved raising in Bozeman, enjoying their time • Accuracy, completeness hunting, fishing, rafting, climbing, skiing and backpacking on Montana’s public and elimination of lands. extraneous material

JEA NATIONAL STUDENT MEDIA CONTESTS • SPRING 2021 Contest 01: Newswriting

Montana Voting Data:

JEA NATIONAL STUDENT MEDIA CONTESTS • SPRING 2021