What is News

On the surface, defining news is a simple task. News is an account of what is happening around us. It may involve current events, public figures or ongoing projects or issues. But newspapers publish more than just the news of the day. They also provide background analysis, opinions, and human-interest stories. The reporters and editors who determine what is newsworthy choose from the flood of information and events happening in their community and around the world. Every newspaper has its own editorial board that determines what should be covered. Stories are normally selected because of their importance (globally, nationally or locally), timeliness and potential impact (on individuals or society at large). Stories can also be written because a reporter has a personal or professional interest in bringing an issue into the public eye.

Hard news:
This is the term journalists use to refer to "news of the day." Hard news is a chronicle of current events/incidents and is the most common news style on the front page of your typical newspaper. Hard news gives readers the information they need. If the federal government announces a new youth initiative, it’s hard news the next day. Examples of hard news stories include reports on crime, court cases, government announcements, house fires, awards ceremonies, plane crashes, international events, etc. Hard news reporting uses clean and uncluttered writing. It starts with a summary lead that describes what happened, where, when, to/by whom, and why (the journalist's 5 W's). The lead must be brief and simple, and the purpose of the rest of the story is to elaborate on it.

Soft News:
This is a term for news that isn't time-sensitive. Soft news includes profiles of people, programs, or organizations. When Canada’s ex-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau passed away, it was first reported as hard news, but the vast majority of stories in the papers for weeks after his death were soft news.

Feature:
Feature stories take a step back from the headlines to explore an issue in depth. Written in the soft news style, they are an effective way to write about complex issues too large for the terse style of a hard news item. Features are like journalism's shopping center. They're full of interesting people, ideas, color, comments, action and energy. Storytelling at its height! A good feature might be about the people in your community and their struggles, victories and defeats, or maybe about a trip someone took to Africa as a part of a school project. A feature usually focuses on a certain angle, explores it through background research and interviews with the people involved, then draws conclusions from that information. For an example, look at street kids. A hard news story must clinically report the relevant statistics: how many there are, where they are, and what they’re doing. It usually relies on a time-sensitive hook – for example, the release of a new study, a demonstration by street youth or the untimely death of a young person on the streets. A feature on street youth is not limited in such a manner. It might be written over a longer period of time, and allows the unique and detailed stories of street kids’ individual lives to be expressed.

Editorial:
An editorial expresses an opinion. All editorials are from a personal point of view, but the topics must still be relevant to the reader. Editorials are strengthened when the arguments in them are supported with facts and evidence.

Questions
1. What is news? (1 full paragraph 5 sentences minimum in your own words)
2. In your own words what does proximity mean? Why is it important to news? (1 sentence each)
3. In your own words what does prominence mean? Why is it important to news? (1 sentence each)
4. What else do papers provide besides the news of the day? (1 sentence)
5. Who determines what will be covered in each newspaper? (1 sentence)
6. What is hard news? (2 sentences)
7. What is soft news? (2 sentences)
8. What is a feature? (3 sentences)
9. What style is a feature news article written in? (1 sentence)
10. What is an editorial? (2 sentences)
11. What type of news would you say is the most informative? Why? (2 sentences)
12. What type of news would you say is the most entertaining? Why? (2 sentences)

Vocab Practice: Write the vocabulary word that matches the definition listed.

13. Two facing pages that are designed as one unit.
14. A statement which cannot be proven.
15. A form of headline consisting of a few very large words over a smaller subheadline.
16. The beginning of a story which serves to summarize the story and/or grab the readers attention.
17. A specific area assigned to a reporter for regular coverage.
18. A standard of conduct based on moral beliefs.
19. Damaging false statements against another person.
20. A person who researches and generally writes stories assigned by an editor.