Understanding Information Genres in Journalism
The News
News stories report on current events that are deemed significant by media outlets. Factors such as proximity, public interest, and human impact influence this selection. Tabloids often prioritize psychological aspects when choosing newsworthy topics.
A news article typically addresses the five Ws: who, what, where, when, and why. However, some details may be omitted, with the most crucial information presented first. Additional elements like sources or documentation may be included depending on the context.
The classic news structure follows an inverted pyramid, starting with the most important information and gradually decreasing in order of significance. To enhance clarity and provide context, modern news often incorporates explanations or supporting documents.
News Headlines and Structure
News headlines consist of two parts: the lead and the body.
- Lead: A concise and clear summary of the story, highlighting the most important elements. It usually forms a single, self-contained paragraph.
- Body: Presents information in descending order of importance, divided into distinct paragraphs. Each paragraph should maintain coherence even if others are removed.
Briefs and Wedges
Briefs are short news pieces containing only the lead. When used to fill space on a page, they are called wedges.
News writing adheres to an objective and impersonal style, typically remaining unsigned.
Other Information Genres: Reports and Interviews
Reports
Reports expand on news stories, providing greater depth and scope. They incorporate additional sources, such as direct evidence, to enrich the information. Reports may also include separate texts that complement the main content using typographical elements.
Similar to news articles, reports follow a lead and body structure. However, the lead plays a more prominent role in captivating the reader, while the concluding paragraph aims to leave a lasting impression.
The length of reports varies considerably, sometimes making it difficult to distinguish them from developed news articles. Reports often adopt a descriptive and narrative style with a more personal touch than news writing.
Interviews
Interviews present conversations between an interviewer and an interviewee. The focus can be on the topic at hand, the interviewee’s personality, or their psychological insights.
Modern interviews frequently employ a closed format with short and diverse questions. The resulting text is structured into two sections: an introduction outlining the interview’s purpose and the question-and-answer exchange.
The style of an interview varies depending on its type and context.
Opinion Makers: Editorials, Articles, and Letters to the Editor
Editorials
Editorials express the newspaper’s viewpoint on current events or issues. They are unsigned and consistently placed in a designated section. Editorials interpret and evaluate events, reflecting the ideology of the media outlet.
Combining exposition and argumentation, editorials primarily focus on explaining facts or presenting a position. Their structure typically includes an introduction summarizing the topic and thesis, a development section with explanations or arguments, and a concise conclusion.
Editorials employ a cultivated and engaging style, avoiding personal pronouns and maintaining a calm tone.
Opinion Pieces (Op-eds)
Op-eds are articles that discuss current or significant topics. They are signed by the author and cover a wide range of subjects, often employing an argumentative or explanatory approach.
Op-eds offer the most freedom among journalistic genres, with a flexible structure and an emphasis on a captivating first or last paragraph. Authors often infuse their personal style into these pieces, which are considered short essays.
Letters to the Editor
Letters to the editor are written opinions on any subject submitted by readers to the newspaper’s director. They are signed and accompanied by the writer’s identification information.
Letters cover a diverse range of topics and should be written in a clear, concise, and correct style.
Mixed Genres: Chronicles and Cultural Criticism
Chronicles
Chronicles blend information with interpretive elements, offering a personal perspective on current events. Their purpose is to contextualize and analyze events that the reporter directly witnesses.
Chronicles can focus on local happenings, literary events, sports, or reports from correspondents. The author is typically a skilled professional, a renowned writer, or a subject matter expert.
Chronicles adopt a personal style, predominantly using narrative and descriptive text with explanatory comments. The structure is flexible.
Cultural Criticism
Cultural criticism presents and evaluates cultural events, combining informative and opinion-based elements. The author is a specialist in the subject matter who provides an assessment.
The text primarily employs descriptive language, with elements of exposition and argumentation. Both structure and style are flexible, and the focus can be highly subjective.