Introduction to Newspaper Writing

The 5 W’s

Style Space = Money Writing needs to be brief and concise A paragraph is often only 1-2 sentences, depending on length. The objective is to share the most important facts with the reader.

Hard news or soft news? Soft News Usually determined by the tone of the article. It is more factual about what happened, who was involved, etc. It generally current or breaking news. It is information ONLY. Flows from most important to less. Soft News It is often presented as emotional or entertaining. It often is written to appeal to emotions or sense of humor. May include scandals or hard luck stories. Often is not breaking or truly current news.

Both require a headline Be specific, direct, and to the point. Use the headline to catch the attention of the reader It tells the basics of the story. Use facts only – no opinion Headline with opinion: President give inspiring speech Headline with no opinion: President gives speech Use present tense. Wrong: Drug pushers are nabbed Correct: Drug pushers nabbed Wrong: Reyes topped the list Correct: Reyes tops list

Editorial (opinion or Op/Ed) Generally the personal opinion of one person or an editorial staff Takes a side or a position Tries to convince the reader An editorial is a newspaper article that expresses an opinion. It can be about any topic, but it is usually written about an issue that deals with our society. To build credibility, the opinion in the editorial must be backed up with facts and evidence to substantiate the opinion.