Basics of Journalism
Concept and Definition
Origin: The terms 'journalist,' 'journal,' and 'journalism' come from the French word 'JOURNAL,'
derived from the Latin 'Diurnalis' (meaning daily). 'Acta Diurna' was an early handwritten
bulletin in ancient Rome.
Journalist: Anyone who contributes to gathering, selecting, and processing news for press,
radio, film, television, and the internet.
Journalism: The practice of gathering, compiling, and distributing unbiased, fact-based news
and relevant information to the public.
Types of Journalism:
Broadsheet Journalism (Quality/Serious Press)
Tabloid Journalism (Popular/Sensational Press)
Tabloid Journalism (Yellow Journalism): Sensationalizes and trivializes events, focusing on
private lives, crime, accidents, and corruption.
'Checkbook Journalism': Bribing subjects for confessions.
'Keyhole Journalism': Invading privacy of celebrities.
Understanding News
Concept: News is the account of an event, presented in written, audio, or visual form. It's a
social institution and cultural discourse.
Analogy: News is like a map, using codes, conventions, signs, and symbols that require
interpretation.
Mainstream Journalism: Treats news as a commodity, with revenue from advertising and
circulation. Focuses on the 'exceptional' and 'elitist'.
Definition: News is a timely account of a recent, interesting, and significant event that directly
affects readers. Information gathered from N, E, W, and S.
Types of News:
Hard News: Timely, important, and consequential topics like politics, international news,
riots, and natural calamities. Time-sensitive, severe, and reported as breaking news.
Follows inverted pyramid structure (5Ws and 1H).
Soft News: Entertainment, celebrity, and lifestyle-centric news stories. Carries information
for amusement. Examples: entertainment, food, beauty, lifestyle.
Components or Elements of News
Accuracy: Factuality is crucial. Journalists must verify the truth of presented facts. Fact-
checking services are increasingly important.
Attribution: Identifying the source of information and quotes. Adds credibility. Example: "India
has no plans to invade Pakistan," said India's Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi.
Fairness: Exploring all sides of an issue and reporting findings accurately and neutrally.
Journalists must avoid personal bias.
Clarity: Clear and organized writing for easy understanding. Avoid technical jargon and long
sentences.
Brevity: Expressing as much as possible in the fewest words. Concise, direct, and
professionally presented.
News Values
Certain factors make events newsworthy:
Political stories are often prioritized.
Disasters and crimes receive more attention than social issues.
Focus on events, eminent people, and the exotic.
Timeliness: The time of an event's occurrence is vital. Stale news is undesirable.
Proximity: Closeness of an event to the audience (geographical or relevance). Local news has
greater appeal. Example: A blast in Kolkata is front-page news there but less prominent
elsewhere.
Prominence: Involvement of a well-known personality makes news.
Conflict: Disagreements (political, social, etc.) attract attention. Conflict can range from
simple disagreements to war.
Consequence/Impact: The number of people affected or the financial losses involved make
news. Greater consequence = more newsworthy.
Oddity: Unusual or rare incidents are more interesting.
Human Interest & Development: Emotionally compelling stories that appeal to audience
beliefs.
Reporting and Editing Techniques
Reporting: Discovering, gathering, selecting, editing, and presenting information to inform,
educate, persuade, and entertain. Main purpose: inform readers.
News Story: The piece of information presented through news reporting.
Inverted Pyramid Structure
Most important information at the top, followed by less important facts, ending with the least
important.
Masthead: The name/title of the newspaper or magazine.
Headline: Text in large letters to grab attention. Summarizes the article's content.
Should be catchy, concise, and not misleading.
Use active voice; avoid articles.
Characteristics: Simple, right length, emotionally compelling, targeted, vetted.
Types:
Banner: Stretches across columns.
Boxed: Framed in a rectangle.
Flush: Multi-deck, printed flush left.
Impact: Attracts attention, grades/organizes news, makes the page lively, and capsules stories.
Use action words. Write in the present tense and in a positive tone. Convey the spirit of the story.
Example: '51 die in Gasline blast'.
Lead: The first paragraph, introducing the subject. Should create excitement and curiosity.
Answers the 5Ws and 1H: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.
The 5Ws and 1H is a fact-finding approach.
Nutgraph: Comes after the lead, explaining the story's context in a nutshell. Provides background
and context to the lead.
Body/Copy: Answers questions raised in the lead. Contains detailed information, evidence, facts,
and quotes. Should have quotes and attributions to authenticate the report.
End/Kicker/Tail: The conclusion, with the least important information. Leaves scope for follow-
up.
Image and Caption: Adds value and creates a visual memory for readers.