CONCEPT AND DEFINITION OF NEWS
Objective:
1. To define News and news elements.
2. To explain the news values and structure of the news.
Structure Of The Lesson :
2.0 Objective
2.1 Introduction
2.2 News Values
2.3 Timelines
2.4 Proximity
2.5 Prominence
2.6 Consequence
2.7 Conflict
2.8 Human Interest
2.9 Forms of News Writing
2.10 News Features
2.11 News Analysis
2.12 News Letter
2.13 Immediacy
2.14 Proximity
2.15 Prominence
2.16 Oddity
2.17 Conflict
2.18 Suspense
2.19 Emotions
2.20 Consequence
2.21 Different Types of News Stories
2.22 Editorial Writing
2.23 Kinds of Leads
2.24 Language in Newspapers
2.25 Sources of News
2.26 Summary
2.27 Self Assessment Questions
2.28 References
2.1 Introduction :
What is News?
Though news has been there since the birth of man, it is an difficult to define it as it is to put
toothpaste back into its tube. It means different things at different places, at different times and for different
societies. For example, ‘two person were stabbed to death in Tirupati’ is news for a paper in Andhra
Pradesh and it is not news for a paper published in Uttar Pradehs or any other state.
The most popular definitions came from the west where news first acquired its mass character as
a result of inventions and advances in the area of type-setting and printing technologies. By the time
television and radio arrived, western print media persons had already reduced news to its basic essentials.
Through decades of journalism, newsmen applied certain criteria, some on their own and some in
response to the felt needs of the readers to determine what should be published. There came to be known
as news values and news is the outcome of the application of such values. The most popular ‘man bites
dog’ definition was based on the assumption that the reader preferred the unusual to the usual.
Researchers see news as a product both of the society and an organization. Society provides the
raw material for news. An organization is needed to process this raw material for mass production and
distribution. News thus has a dual origin. As published it reflects the activities of the society of which it is a
product and it represents the output of an organization. Tha is, you need an organization (a company or a
firm) to collect, process, publish and distribute news. You also need a society, whose activities become the
basis of news. A music festival, for example, is social activity it becomes news when a newspaper publishers it or radio or Television broadcasts it.
“News can be defined as a new information about a subject of some public interest that is shared
with some portion of the public”, says Mitchell Stephens.
This lesson explains the techniques ans principles of News. The student is also acquainted with
kinds of news, forms of news writing, Lead and kinds of Leads and Language in Newspaper.
2.2 News Values :
Since there is no legalistic or hard and fast definition of news, those guidlines or criteria which help
the newsperson in the selection of information for publication, may be called news values The following
guidelines help the Public relations practitioner to evaluate news in all media organizations in countries
where the press system has Western origins.
2.3 Timeliness :
Immediacy or recency is one component of news that commands reader attention. Delay may
mean that other newspapers or media have already have published it. For Example that Dr.Abdul Kalam
was sworn in as the president of the Indian Republic is not news today. It was news five years back i.e,
2002.
2.4 Proximity :
There is no doubt that people are keen on knowing what is happening in their neighbourhood. The
names of places are familiar to them. They may have seen them or lived these for something or be the
reader has friends or relatives in these places. To a man in the North, Salem or Guntur editions gaining
ground, informing he readers in detail of events happening in their proximity has gained importance.
2.5 Prominence :
Great men and women, prominent places make news. What is aid by them and about them are
important. They need not always be political leaders or sportsmen or well-known persons. A person who
alerts the train of the boulders on the tract also makes news. Most of the stories we see in Newspapers
are about individuals, doing something or saying something or something happening to them.
2.6 Consequence :
Information becomes news when its consequences cover a large readership. A government
notification lowering the age of voting to 18 becomes major news because millions of young people
suddenly become voters, that is, acquire political power to select or reject a party. The publication of the
Pay Commission Report cheers millions of readers, some of them might reap the benefits directly because
they are government servants. Also, it may be that the readers father, son or brother or sister is a government employee. News of the strike by bus drivers will hurt thousands of commuters, office-goers, school
children and so on. Consequence also thus makes news.
2.7 Conflict :
Many stories come under this description. Actual conflict like that in Kashmir or Naxalite prone
areas or potential conflict likely to be caused by somebody’s actions or statement is news because conflict
leads to repercussions and reprisal. Today the best example of conflict is the recurring confrontation
between judiciary and the legislature, each testing its jurisdiction and power.
2.8 Human Interest :
This is the reader’s interest in everything unusual, mystic or extraordinary, Child with two heads,
animal that can speak, or the largest dosa in the world and so on. Rags to riches stories, bravery reports,
miraculous escapes, crime, corruption, sex, fashion and many things come under this head, including the
crazy feats performed to et into the Guinness Book or records.
To sun up, the major news values practiced by media desk or reporters are the above five mentioned. A news story may contain any one of the above or all of the above.
2.9 Forms of News Writing :
Everything in the media world is changing. Technology is changing. More areas are opening up for
news coverage. Similarly news writing too has acquired new forms of expression. News writing as you
have seen earlier is based on facts and has a conventional structure beginning with lead, has a style which
distinguished it from other forms and embodies characteristics of news like timeliness, proximity etc. It is
the form used to write a ‘hard’ news story which simply states a number of facts or events or happenings.
2.10 News Features :
News feature is comparatively a new form of news writing, reflecting the change in media environment. It is news based. It is a featurised form of news writing. It seeks not to just inform as does news
writing but also to move, motivate and inspire the readers. It seeks to involve the readers emotionally with
contents of the story. It has no structure and may not even have the quality of timeliness. See this example, where the item unfolds the story in a feature form.
A vast sea of people, estimated at five million, flowed past Chief Minister Jayalitha today as she
took salute from a decorated platform, the high point of celebration marking one year of office by her.
2.11 News Analysis :
News Analysis is an interpretative form of writing. It does not seek to arouse passions, emotions
or sympathy Basing on a news story that has already appeared in the paper, it seeks to interpre the
significance of its contents, factors which gave rise to the event, the repercussions of the event etc.
2.12 News Letter :
News letters are sent by reporters who are posted outside the centre of publication of the newspapers. It may be a district newsletter, state newsletters or Delhi News letter or a foreign news letter A person
who is posted outside sends news stories regularly. These newsletters may try to assess the status of an
important problem like power shortage or failure of monsoon or social unrest so on It is about something
which is not a single happening like power breakdown or heavy downpour or a communal clash, It is about
something that is continuing or that has crystallized into a problem or phenomenon.
Experts agree that defining news can be a difficult task. Most journalist agree that the following
eight elements make up what is considered “news.”
2.13 Immediacy :
Reporting something that has just happened or is about to happen. Time is a strong ingredient,
“today, yesterday, early this morning, tomorrow.” The newness of the occurrence makes up “immediacy” in
the news.
2.14 Proximity :
Facts and occurences that are important to you personally; inflation, the Iran situation particularly if
one of the hostages is someone you know or a family member of a close friend, the closing of a fire station
close to your home. Such a closure is less important when it occurs across town. The question most
asked by journalists is: “If this happened outside my immediate area, my city, my state, would I be interested in reading about it?” Keeping this question in mind is particularly important to the organizational PR
person. You must “take off the I love this organization hat” and examine your story to see if indeed it would
interest other readers.
2.15 Prominence :
Prominence as a news element is well-known to most of us. The public figure, holders of public
office, people of renown of those who stimulate our curiosity, people in positions of influence all enjoy
news prominence. For your visitor or speaker to quality for news prominence, he or she must be well
enough known to command the attention of readers either by reputation or by the nature of the topic to be
discussed.
2.16 Oddity :
Oddity is often news. The bizarre, the unusual, the unexpected often make news. Generally those
people who perform striking feats in emergency situations are news, such as a woman lifting an automobile off her child, travelling around the world in a sailboat, unusual recycling methods, use of materials in a
different way. In journalism, oddity is defined as the “man bites dog” formula. Consider the reported rabbit
attack on President Carter. That certainly made the “news.”
2.17 Conflict :
Conflict is one element most observed in todays with the clash of ideologies making headlines
worldwide. Although most businesses and organizations she away from the reporting of conflict, it is
understandable that this element is firmly based in the news formula.
2.18 Suspense :
Suspense creates and expands news appeal. The outcome of the Iranian hostages is suspenseful
news. For the most part, organizations would rarely experience this type of circumstance. It is help ful to
remember that news suspense is not the same as mystery suspense. However, mystery suspense in
news does occur when a crime has been committed and the search is on for a suspect.
2.19 Emotions :
Emotions are a news element commonly called “human interest” stories that stir our recognition of
the basic needs both psychological and physical. Stories that prompt the reader toward sympathy, anger or
other emotions in all their variety are commonly handled in feature-type stories. Organizations should be
alert to the possibilities of “human interest” stories.
2.20 Consequence :
The last element of news, consequence, is more difficult to exaplain, but generally for a story to
have consequence it must be important to a great number of readers. It must have some impact for the
reader. Such news will affect him or her in some personal way….the safety of the city’s drinking water. The
dumping of toxic wastes into the Snake River Aquifer is being examined from the standpoint or consequence now and in the future. Thus it becomes in important news story.
From this discussion of news story elements, it becomes clear that you should have three guidelines in mind when you’re deciding if your message is news or an announcement; whether it’s a feature or
an item of limited public interest. From this you decide which format to use for distributing the information
and the medium that is most likely to use your information.
2.21 Different Types of News Stories :
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. Example 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 describe 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 to people, programs,
or organizations. When Pakistan’s ex-Prime Minister Mrs.Benir Bhutto was assassinated, 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 timesensitive 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. The editorial is the lifeline of any newspaper. The policy of a paper on key issues
is generally revealed through the editorials.
The main editorial is referred to as ‘the leader’ and others which fallows are ‘leaderettes’. A leader
is the nerve center of any paper, since it reflects the paper’s policy on vital issues. Individual stylistic
features of editorials of different paper relate to the selection of topics and title, language and diction, size
of sentence of sentence and the overall space occupied.
a. Editorials are the mainstay of a newspaper.
b. Various techniques adopted by national newspapers add to the overall stylistic excellence
of editorial columns.
c. The size depends upon the function. Even if some editorials are long and the sentences
loose, they may be woven skillfully to present an in-depth analytical study. These editorials
inform, instruct and may be used as reference material.
d. By and large, the English editorials of Indian mainline newspapers are clearly more literary
than just news reports.
e. The hallmark of good style in editorials should be unique, respectable and it should be
responsible and readable.
2.22 Editorial Writing :
Editorial and its Importance :
The editorial enjoys an importance of its own in newspapers and periodical. In newspapers the
editorials reflect the opinion of the Editor on the given issues of the day. In a larger sense, they also reflect
the policy of the newspapers. Not all readers read the editorials. It is estimated that only 10 to 15% take
interest in them. But it is ‘claimed’ that policy makers do read the editorials.
Functions :
The functions of an editorials are many. It can inspire, motivate, excite, appeal, critise or reject
certain ideas or policies. This free expression of opinion is intended to mould public opinion as conceived
by the Editor. While doing so, the editor acts according to the dictates of his conscience for the greatest
good of the greatest number. An editorial must present facts honestly. They should not be distorted. It is
meant to guide the reader, not to mislead him. How would you describe an editorial? “It is the expression
of an opinion in concise, logical terms, an interpretational of happenings to make their significance clear to
the reader. It can be a combination of facts and opinion, sometimes facts have to be given to justify
opinion”.
Tone :
The tone of an editorial can be interpretative. It can present the salient features of a recent
happening educate the reader and to help him form an opinion of his own. The tone can also be laudatory.
To ‘laud” means to praise. The may be occasions when an event may have to be praise. Again, the tone
can be infective, or decent criticism. At times, an editorial can criticize an approach to a problem facing the
country. The editor will decide the tone of the editorial according to the nature of the subject or the theme
selected for the editorial comment.
Editorial Writer :
In well-established daily newspapers, we have a team of editorial writers known as “leader writers.
Each writer specializes in a particular field such as for instance, national and international subjects,
banking and finance, education, social and community welfare and so on. The editor-in-chief generally
selects the subjects every day and asks the concerned leader writer to write the editorial on the subject.
So, the editorial writer or the leader writer is a subject-specialist.
Of course, the editor-in-chief also writers editorials on special occasions. This he generally does
when the subjects is of great national importance. At times, such an editorial is published on the front
pages of his newspaper.
Qualities :
Before writing an editorial, the leader writer prepares himself for the task in a very methodical but
quick fashion. He studies the background to the subject thoroghly and fully. He also updates the facts and
figures.
There after, he writers the editorial in keeping with the dictates of this conscience and the policy of
this paper. Generally, the editorials, written by the leader writers are cleared by the Editor-in-chief.
Certain qualities of head and heart go to make an ideal leader writer. He must have an analytical
mind. He must be capable of seeing both sides of the picture, as it were. His must be an open mind, not a
closed one. He must be a warm hearted person, responding to a given situation with understanding and
sympathy. Again, as rightly pointed out by a well-known author, his pen “should be ready to defend the
underdog, the persecuted, the unjust, the wronged, the exploited and the voiceless… “In other words, he
must always be ready to defend the undefended with his pen. India produced such editorial writers. The
history of Indian journalism is full of shining examples.
Editorial Writing :
There is no hard and fast rule in respect of the style of writing an editorial. The style differs from
paper to paper. In other words, it is mostly the choice of the individuals, in keeping with the policy of the
papar and its prestige.
Style :
During the pre-Independence days, the editorials were pompous in style, adopting high sounding
and difficult words. The sentences were long and diffused. The length was not restricted. It occupied many
columns, with the passage of years, the old order changed.
During the post-Independence era, the style of editorials underwent many changes, all for the
better, simple words, short sentences, and direct approach to the subject came to be used by leader
writers. They also kept the length of editorials quite short, because of the fact that in the jet age, an
average reader does not have sufficiednt time to read the news as well as editorials in a newspapers. The
latter is generally skipped. An ideal editorial need not exceed a few paragraphs say five or six in number.
The first para may serve as a curtain-raiser or introduction to the theme. The second para may uncover
more fully and state the points or issues to be interpreted or lauded or criticized.
The third para may supplement statistical data, relevant to the theme. The fourth para and the fifth
may state emphatically the paper’s stand or its opinion on the issues involved. The sixth or the last para
may do the summing up eloquently re-stating or reiterating the stand of opinion to make an enduring an
impact on the reader.
This does not however, mean that a good editorial should have only six paras. It may have more
or perhaps less. Just an example has been cited to show national segmentation in an acceptable format
for a good editorial in a daily newspapers.
Structure of The News :
Journalistic writing stands on a different footing. Journalists write for the Print Media comprising
newspapers and magazines. They have a style of their own known as Journalistic style. Its Vocabularly is
arresting and full of ‘Punch’. At the same time, it has a high degree of readability also in the sense people
love to read and re-read a well-written article. To achieve readability, journalists use journalistic style,
words and phrases. They are generally coined by journalists’ themselves. Journalistic media, therefore,
include the press, the radio, the television etc. Writing for journalistic media includes writing for Newspapers, radio and television through which public information is disseminated. Journalism does not mean
merely writing for the newspapers. These aspects of writing are covered separately in different lessons of
this paper.
Journalistic writing is the distinct form of writing adapted to the requirements of media. Writing for
newspapers has a very short life. Most readers read newspapers hurriedly. As such journalistic writing
requires an awareness of this fact-hurry. The task of a journalist is to convey essentials to readers as to
catch the reader’s attention immediately.
If you look at any newspaper, you find different types of stories. They are news reports of important events, features, byline articles, interviews, human interest stories, obituaries, book reviews, sports
column, letters to the editor, editorials etc. Those who write for the media should be conversant with the
various forms of news writing. This will not only enable them to write well for the media but it will also help
them in editing publications.
1. “The Inverted Pyramid”: The basic structure of the news release is the “Inverted Pyra
mid” shape of from your Geometry class turned upside down and balanced at it tip. This
structure requires the writer the essential infromation at the beginning of the story. The
original theory was – and it is a good one to remember – that a news story might need
cutting in the print shop from (composing room) in order to fit the news hole. Traditionally
printers cut stories from the bottom. Thus, if the essential information is the beginning of
the story, it will not be affected by a printer’s cuts.
2. 5 W’s and an H (Elements of News) : Because news releases are informational, they
must anticipate and answer questions. The six essential questions whose answers
consitute the elements of the news release are:
– WHO
– WHAT
– WHEN
– WHERE
– WHY
– HOW
These elements of news – the six essential questions that need to be answered –
are common sense. If you jot down every question you ask or are asked in a given day,
the vast majority while be predicted on ATLEAST ONE OF THESE CONCEPTS.
For many years, student journalists were taught to answer all six elementary
questions in the first sentence or paragraph of a news release. However, if clarity is being
sacrificed in order to cram all the information in the opening sentence there is no reason
why the news elements cannot be addressed in the top two sentences or paragraphs.
3. The “Lead” : The opening sentence and / or paragraph is called the story’s
“Lead” In the traditional news release and news article the lead introduces and
imparts the gist of the information that you are communicating. Otherwise also
called intro is the short from of the English word ‘introduction’. The informative
news generally contain two or more paragraphs. All the important news are
preceded by intro, which specifies the essence of the news in one or two sen
tences. Intro should not be very lengthy, otherwise it loses its impact. There is no
set of principles for writing intor. It is the responsibility of the News room to give
intro to the news.
As a general practice, the newspapers conventionally give the number of deaths
or injured people in an accident in the intro. The intro to the sports news includes score,
etc. For example: India recorded a famous win on Australian soil on Saturday claiming the
third cricket test match here at the WACA by 72 runs with a day to spare.
4. News of Human Interest : The news of human interest are written in an attrac
tive manner as per the subject matter Such news could be centered round any subject;
there is no particular style for their presentation. Given below is one such example of the
news published in ‘The Hindu’.
French Love for Indian soil
From the shores of Algeria, born and bred in Paris, the heart of France, she is almost on the point
of becoming an Indian citizen. Primarily a French Language instructor, Dalel Benbaali is a multi-faceted
personality. For someone so young, she speaks five languages-French, English, German, Arabic, Spanish,
fluently not to mention her confort levels with Hindi and Telugu too!
2.23 Kinds of LEADS :
Leads vary in pattern. There are a number of these, some in use and some that have now gone
out of vogue. A few are listed below.
Summary Lead :
It gives briefly the gist of the speech, answers all the five Ws and one H. This lead does not
highlight the significant elements; but brings them all together in a confused way. This is also called ‘one,
two, three lead’.
Example :
Part of the fourteen storied LIC building was destroyed by fire shortly after 10 last night. The
reason for the fire is said to be short circuit in the building. Fire fighters battled for five hours to put out the
fire. Damages estimated at about 5 lakhs.
This lead is not wrong; but it is insipid and dull. The better lead would be: Property estimated at
Rs.5 lakhs was destroyed by a devastating fire that consumed part of the fourteen storied LIC building on
Mount Road last night. Five fire engines rushed to the spot in ten minutes and extinguished the fire after
five hour battle.
Title Lead;
It is not in vogue now.
Example: Evils of dowry system was the subject of a lecture delivered by Mrs Aruna, Minister last
evening. No brainwork/creativity is necessary for this lead.
The Direct Quotation Lead :
A vital sentence of the speaker is quoted in the first paragraph. This style in also not used very
often. Some papers dislike it because of its overuse. It is the easiest form to write. Sometimes this lead
may be effective.
Example :
I have asked party men not to speak on the Telangana Issue’, said Mr.Veerappa Moily, congress
party incharge of Andhra Pradesh. He was addressing the press meet at Gandhi Bhavan.
Indirect quotation Lead :
This pattern summarises one of the speaker’s significant statements.
Example :
Preaching and practicing the twin ideals of dharma and ahimsa (righteousness and non-violence)
all over the globe would go a long way to prevent another world war, was the view expressed by
Jagadguru Sankaracharya last night at Tirumala. He was addressing at the vedic pathasala.
Personality Lead :
This is used when the identity of the persons concerned and his individual characteristics are
more important than what he says.
CM YS Rajashekhar expressed Reddy expressed himself in favor of eradicating poverty totally in
the country.
Prime Minister of Britain spoke about aid programmes to developing countries.
Capsule Lead :
As the word itself indicates the lead should be small in length. No great intelligence is required. It
is a statement of fact.
Example :
Andhra University celebrated its platinum convocation today.
Tabulated Lead :
This is a lead used generally without a date-line. When a story has many angles, originates at
different points and was collected by several reporters, this type is preferred.
Example :
Drought condition in the Rayalaseema districts in Andhra Pradesh following failure of monsoon
successively for the past three years.
Teaser Lead or suspense lead :
It is an unconventional approach keeping the reader in suspense about the climax. It teases him
about the ‘real news’; ‘chronological’ stories come under this lead.
Example :
Student activists of various political parties visited the secretariat this morning and the met the
education minister. They represented the minister to make education free up to the end of degree education. During the discussion there were heated arguments and the students overpowered the minister and
the minister was injured. The minister was rushed to the hospital and the students were arrested. (Here
the reader has to wait till the end to know the news that minister was injured and students were arrested.)
Contrast Lead :
This lead mentions two different facts to emphasie the theme of the story.
Example :
On 2 October, Gandhi Jayanti Day, when millions dedicated themselves all over India to follow
non-violence, police opened fire and killed ten Sarvodaya leaders who shouted slogans demanding purity
in public life.
Staccato Lead :
Not much in use. The word means ‘musical note played in an abrupt, disconnected manner; each
note has a distinct sound’. This lead is used when there is need to indicate quick consecutive and abrupt
action.
Example :
‘Down Down’ shouted demonstrators; police lathics cracked…….bursting teargas shells
boomed…..deflant men yelled ‘burn the police van…….the lead goes on.
Punch or Bullet or Catridge Lead :
Lead that hits like a bullet, delivers a punch. It conveys the most important news in a rush of
words.
Example :
Mrs.Bhutto shot dead, Modi WINS
Descriptive Lead :
The first paragraph begins with a vivid and graphic description of the scene and setting as the
reporter saw it. It has to be highly imaginative so that the writing is visible, fresh and fluent. Striking ideas
condensed into foreceful language will make a compelling report. A clever journalist will combine a news
sense with a complimentary power of expression. It has been said that writing has the strongest appeal if it
is inspired by feelings. One’s command of vocabulary and the choice of words are among the more
important factors in the style of lead.
Example :
They are their small country’s best known exports after raspberries. And, on a tennis court, Jelena
Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, and Novak Djokovic make their opponents see red – hardly as mouth-watering a
prospect for their rivals as those flamingly sweet berries might be.
Example :
Scantily clad, sick, weak and mad with agonizing pain, 18 year old giri Rema was found huddled
miserably in a Himalyan cave by a Bhadri tourist party. In a halting voice she said she was kidnapped by
masked hunters.
2.24 Language in Newspapers :
English is not out language and there is nothing either surprising or immoral in the standards of
English going down. But those working in an English newspaper need to have a professionally competent
knowledge of the language in order to be able to do their jobs well. The principle applies to those working
in other languages as well. The sub-editor, as communicator, has to develop an above average mastery of
the language in which he functions. He does not have to be a writer to be able to distinguish between the
right and the wrong word. He must have pride in his understanding of linguistic nuances. A sub editor
without comman of language is a contradiction the terms. There is such a thing as newspaper language.
In the literary sense it means very simple and direct sentences. Typographically, it means very short
paragraphs.
Significantly, it is well known how Thanthi became the first-mass circulation paper in India by
developing a people’s Tamil in its columns. Its founder, Adityanar, reputedly tested difficult and unusual
words on Aatha, the office watchman. If Aatha did not understand a word, it was changed or explained in
simple terms. Others have proven the same principle without going to Adityanar’s extremes. The late
Santosh ghosh was a prime force behind Ananda Bajaar Patrika’s soaring popularity in the 1960s. He was
a complete journalist and that helped. But the innovation that clicked most with readers was his use of
colloquial language for the first time in Bengali newspapers. Ghosh was a novelist in his own right and he
popularized newspaper Bengali without in anyway compromising the beauty of the language.
In Andhra Pradesh the story was repeated by Eenadu which became the largest circulated daily in
a short while by employing, among other things, a language used by people in everyday life in contrast to
traditional literary Telugu used by other telugu newspapers.
What these papers have shown is that direct writing is best for newspapers and that this can be
achieved without cheapening the language. Perhaps the non-English papers succeeded in showing the
way because they are written by reporters and sub-editors who use the language in thier everyday life.
English on the other hand is a language acquired through formal study and tends to be literary in the
hands of those who are forced to use it in their official work.
In the meantime, the best that reporters and subs can do is to bear some basic ideas about
language constantly in mind.
1. Always prefer simple words and sentences. There is hardly a complex sentence that
cannot be simplified. Now is always better than at the present time.
2. Always prefer short sentences. The trouble with long sentences is that, by the time the
reader gets to the end, he forgets the beginning. The sub mist insist on splitting long
sentences.
3. Always make certain that there is no ambiguity about the meaning of a sentence. A
phrase in the wrong place, even a punctuation mark omitted or wrongly positioned, can
alter the meaning of a sentence. Watch out for misleading juxtapositions. It is easy to
forget the difference between He can only sing and only he can sing.
4. Always consult dictionaries and reference books as a habit. It is the only way to avoid
spelling mistakes and wrong usages. The laziness that prevents one from going to a
dictionary is an evil to be fought.
Since language teaching is beyond the scope of this text, no attempt is made here to explain the
rules of grammar and sentence construction. An all too familiar problem is that a grammatically correct
sentence may yet be cumbersome. It is the sub-editor’s task to polish it into easily digested segments.
Here is a sentence the average reader may have difficulty understanding in one reading.
For example :
New Delhi, Friday – The government confirmed in the Rajya Sabha today that it has directed the
concerned authorities in the capital to stop with immediate effect giving fresh sanctions to construction of
multi-stories buildings in New Delhi and South Delhi under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Development
authority and the Delhi Municipal corporation pending finalization of the Second Master Plan for Delhi.
The difficulty arise because bureaucratic phrases have been used instead of plain language
(directed the concerned authorities, giving fresh sanctions, pending finalization) and too many points have
been stitched together. If the sub rephrased it and confined the opening sentence to the main news point,
it would yield a simple sentence like this:
The Government confirmed today that no new multi-storied buildings would be allowed in New
Delhi and South Delhi until the second Master Plan was ready.
That’s the crux of the news. Other details can well go into subsequent sentences.
2.25 Sources of News :
For a reporter, the whole universe is a mine of news. Realizing the vital social values of news, he
spreads his net wide to capture anything worthy of record. There is no part of the globe that is known to
exist, which has not at some time been the locale of a newspaper story, which means that newsmen
cultivate all possible sources of news.
For ensuring systematic gathering of news, there are certain well defined sources of routine news.
The reporters rely on these for the greater part of their daily news output. Of course special features or
stories are ‘done’, in addition to the routine and this adds to the individuality of the newspaper concerned.
All standard newspapers make it a point to cover almost all the following sources every day.
1. Crime : Police headquarters, police stations the morgue, hospitals fire service stations,
police courts, jails and prisons.
2. Civic affairs : Corporation or municipalities, transport, water supply, power stations, city
council meetings.
3. Government : Secretariat – various ministries, Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Raj Bhavan, Planning
commission, meeting ministers, secretaries and heads of the departments.
4. High Court and other smaller courts
5. Chambers of Commerce, stock exchange, trade organizations and market, financial
institutions and industrial plants.
6. Government Guest-house and big hotels.
7. Weather bureau or meteorological department
8. Shipping and Harbour
9. Sports and events
10. Film studios and theatres
11. Aviation fields (aerodromes)
12. Railway stations
13. Temples, Churches and mosques
14. Party Offices
15. Universities, educational institutes, research institutes
16. Labour headquarters
17. Public functions, conventions and speeches
18. Social welfare organizations
19. Science Stories
20. Columns of other newspapers or magazines
21. Friends/neighborhood
The sources are covered by a number of newsmen posted at various above beats. From other
centers also news flows in through a network of correspondents spread all over the world. In addition,
news agencies send in their quota of news. Thus we see that the news-room gets a)local news b) outstation news through telegrams/teleprinters/modems and internet and c) cable news from overseas countries.
When a big story breaks wide the reporter is in his element, reaching the peak of enthusiasm and
excitement and galvanizing into action to meet the challenge.
At the production centers, in all standard newspaper offices, the news coverage is left to be
managed by the reporting section headed by the Chief Reporter. In consultation with the editors he prepares a daily news schedule which assigns to various reporters, the beats to be covered for the day.
Reporters are expected to know the topography of the place, its politics, social and industrial activities.
2.26 Summary :
The points that are to be borne in mind in framing a news story are 1) Have the facts been presented properly and accurately so that the reader can actually picture the occurrence; 2) If the story
includes disputed points, have both the sides been fairly presented; 3) Does it answer the five Ws and one
H; 4) Does it indicate the source of the information (except for valid reasons it is not to be with held); and
5) is complete in covering all aspects.
News value is commonly measured by five tests; timeliness, proximity, prominence, timelines and
conflict. It must be new and fresh; it must interest readers. Its value also depends upon the prominence of
the people involved and its likely consequence on society. Location also determines relative news value.
The lesson also defined the Lead and kinds of leads with examples. The reporter has to keep in
mind that he is an average individual and should remember that what interests him is likely to interest
readers also. If he does this he goes a long way towards understanding the fundamentals of news-interest.
2.27 Self Assessment Questions :
1. Define Lead and discuss various kinds of leads with examples.
2. How does language play an important role in the making of the newspaper?
3. What are the various sources that a reporter taps to write a news story?
4. Explain in detail the structure of the news keeping in the ‘Inverted Pyramid’ In mind.
