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UNIT - 1
#Evolution and growth of print journalism in India:
The evolution and growth of print journalism in India have been fascinating and have played
a crucial role in shaping the country’s media landscape and democracy.
• EARLY BEGINNINGS – can be traced back to early 18th century when newspapers
were introduced during British colonial rule.
First newspaper – Bengal Gazette
published by James Augustus Hickey
in 1780 in Calcutta (now Kolkata)
• NATIONALIST MOVEMENT – during India’s struggle for independence, print
journalism became powerful tool for nationalists to mobilize public opinion against
British rule.
The Hindu founded in 1878, played a significant role in advocating for independence
and social reform.
• POST-INDEPENDENCE ERA- after independence in 1947, print media continued to
play a vital role in shaping public discourse and democracy. The Time of India Indian
Express, Hindustan Times became influential voices in Indian society providing news,
analysis and commentary on various issues.
• LANGUAGE PRESS – while English language newspapers dominated the early years,
the growth of regional language newspaper became important over time. Regional
language such as Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam emerged, diverse linguistic
and cultural communities across the country.
• TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS – introduction of modern printing presses –
offset printing improved the quality and efficiency of newspaper production.
Introduced in 1970s.
• DIVERSIFICATION AND SPECIALIZATION – Print Journalism in India diversified to
cover a wide range of topics including politics, economics, culture, sports and
entertainment.
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• CHALLENGES AND ADAPTATION – faced various challenges over the years,

competition from digital media declining advertising revenues, and issues related to
journalistic ethics and credibility.
• ROLE IN DEMOCRACY – play a crucial role in Indian democracy by providing
information, fostering public debates. Newspaper serves as a watchdogs, investigative
agencies and opinion leaders.
Evolution and growth of print journalism in India reflects the country’s socio-political
changes, technological advancements and dynamic nature of media in a diverse and
complex society.

#Journalism - Definition:
Journalism is the activity, or product of journalists or others engaged in the preparation of
written, visual or audio material intended for dissemination through public media of factual
or ongoing events of public concern. It is intended to inform society about itself and to
make events public that would otherwise remain private. Journalism is a systematic and
interacting way of publication of the daily events.

Roles and responsibilities of a journalist / reporter:

Journalists works in many areas of life, finding and presenting information. We define
journalists as men and women who present that information as news to the audience of
newspapers, magazines, radio or television stations or internet.
➔ A journalist is responsible for his job towards people, he has to respect their dialogue
with ombudsman.
➔ A Journalist only accepts suggestions and instructions from the editorial hierarchy of
his newspaper, as long as the dispositions are not against any professional law.
➔ A Journalist cannot discriminate against people on grounds of race, religion, mental
and physical conditions or political opinion.
➔ A Journalist respects the right of secrecy of every person and he may not publish
news about someone’s private life, unless they are transparent and relevant to public’s
interest.
➔ The names of the relatives of people involved in such daily events cannot be published
unless they are relevant to public’s interest.
➔ The names of victims of sexual violence can be neither published, nor can a journalist
give details unless it is required by the victim themselves for general public interest.
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A journalist has to proceed with great caution when publishing names or elements that can
lead to the identification of members of a legal team or of police.

#Journalism as a fourth estate:

• The concept of journalism as the “forth estate” refers to its roles as an independent
and influential pillar of society, alongside the three traditional branches of the
government : the executive, legislature and judiciary.
• Journalists are known as watchdogs whose mission is to sniff out wrong, point fingers
at those to blame and report in a way that brings a change.
• When the reporters are successful in their efforts of ensuring this, the life of people
may genuinely get better and public appreciation of the importance of a free press is
strengthened.

LEGISLATURE makes the law. It includes the members of parliament.

EXECUTIVE executes the law. It includes the head of gov., CM, PM, etc.
JUDICIARY interprets the law. It includes Judges.
Why journalism is often referred to as the forth estate?
➔ Watchdog role - whose mission is to sniff out what’s wrong, point fingers at those to
blame and reports in a way that brings a change.
➔ Informing the public – journalism provides citizens with accurate, timely and relevant
information. It serves as the vital source of news and analysis, empowering people to
make informed decisions.
➔ Advocating for public interest – it advocates for the public interest, representing the
needs, rights and interests of ordinary citizens.
➔ Safe guarding democracy – journalism plays a crucial role in safeguarding democracy
by ensuring freedom of expression, transparency and access to information.

#Citizen Journalism:
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Citizen Journalism is the journalism for the people, by the people and of the people.
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➔ It refers to a wide range of activities in which everyday people contribute information

or commentary about news events.
➔ The act of a citizen or a group of citizens plays an active role in the process of
collecting, reporting, analysing, and disseminating news and information.
➔ The concept basically deals with – how conversation has stirred the news media.
➔ The act is conducted by people who are not professional journalists but discriminate
using social media websites and blogs.
➔ Example – Neeru Rathore in Gujarat going to different villages for water availability
and many other channels have separated page for citizen’s journalism known as video
volunteers.

#Yellow Journalism:
➔ The last decade of the 19th century is one of the special significances in the growth of
the press because it marked the beginning of new kind of Journalism- YELLOW
JOURNALISM.
➔ Yellow journalism is “journalism that exploits, distorts or exaggerates the news to
create sensation and attract readers.”
➔ It is one of the most dramatic episodes in the history of press. It is about news
where biased opinion is masked as an objective fact.
➔ The Battle on Park Row, New York between William Randolph Hearst’s Journal and
Joseph Pulitzer World in the late of nineteenth century, marked the advent of yellow
journalism.
➔ Yellow Journalism is a style of journalism characterized by sensationalism,
exaggeration and the use of headlines and illustrations to attract reader and sell
newspapers. It originated in the late 19th century in the US.
Characteristics of Yellow Journalism:
• Scary headlines in huge font.
• Lavish use of pictures or imaginary drawings.
• Use of fake interviews, misleading headlines.
• A parade of false facts and no objectivity and accuracy in news.

#Penny press:
➔ Horatio Davis Sheppard was an American physician who founded the first Penny Press
in 1833.
➔ The Penny Press by Benjamin Day in 1833, “The Sun”, was a paper printed on four
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letter size pages at New York City newspaper from USA.

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➔ Benjamin Day was from England who worked with the paper, the Republican.
➔ Day as a publisher found that penny paper would be read by those who cannot afford
a costly paper. His paper was an instant success.
➔ Benjamin introduced sensationalism with human interest stories. He focused more on
common people’s interests.
➔ Penny press was most noted for its cheap price (one cent) whereas the other
newspapers were priced around six times (six cent) more.
➔ The unusual low price popularized the newspaper in America and attracted poorer
readers. Penny press made news and journalism more popular.

# News, Elements of news and news values:

News is an event or incident which has an audience interest in it to gather information or
to make opinion about the matter.
ELEMENTS OF NEWS:
1. Where did it happen? – News is identified with where it has occurred. Example –
National, International, space, etc.
2. Relevance – Relevance is the importance of news.
3. Immediacy – News is all about what is happening now. News is news only while it
is new.
4. Interest – The most interesting element in news is often people, not just famous
people but people in general. People just like gossiping, sharing feelings of envy,
admiration, malice, affection.
NEWS VALUES:
What is news? The cliché is when dog bites a man, that’s not a news. When a man bites a
dog, that’s a news. Critics say, why is the newspaper always full of bad news? Because bad
news is unusual, and no one is interested in ordinary events.
News at least has one of these elements:
1. Impact – Impact is determined by the number of people affected, the number of
boats that sink, the number of cars that wrecked, etc. The more people affected,
the more boats sunk, the more impact of the story.
2. Proximity – The closer your audience is to the event, the greater is the news value.
If a train hits a bus in Bangladesh, it may receive a three column inches behind the
sports section. If a train hits a bus on Niles Canyon Road, the Argus will play it on
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page one.

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3. Timeliness – “New” is a bigger part of news. If it happened just before the

deadline, it’s a bigger news than if it happened last week. Even “big” stories last a
week or so. News, like fish, is a better fresh.
4. Prominence – If it happened to the mayor, it’s a bigger news than if it happened to
the Monitory Advisor. If President Clinton goes jogging, reporters take pictures. If
the monitory advisor goes jogging, dogs bark, but no one else notices.
5. Novelty – If an event is unusual, the first, the last, or once-in-a-lifetime, it has more
news values than if it is something that happens all the time.
6. Relevance – How did the story affect the reader? If there’s no impact, maybe
there’s no news.
7. Conflict – War, Politics, Crime are the most common news events of all. If
everyone goes along, there wouldn’t be much news.
8. Human Interest – A news may be weak on other news values, but be interesting
anyways. It can be as simple as an interview with a fascinating person who does
unusual things. If people are talking about it, it’s news, even when it doesn’t meet
the criteria of other news values.

#Types of news – Hard News & Soft News:

News is an event or incident which has an audience interest in it to gather information or
to make opinion about the matter.
HARD NEWS :
➔ This is the term journalists used to refer as “news of the day”.
➔ Hard news is a chronicle of current events/ incidents and is most common news style
of the front page of your typical newspaper. Hard news gives reader the information
they need.
➔ If a federal government announces new youth initiative, that’s a hard news the next
day.
➔ Examples of hard news stories include reports on crime, court cases, government
announcements, house fires, award ceremonies, plane crashes, international event, etc.
➔ Hard news reporting uses clean and uncluttered writing. It may start with a summary
lead that describes 5W’s. The lead must be brief and simple.
SOFT NEWS:
➔ Infotainment, also called soft news is a way to distinguish it from serious journalism.
This is a term for news that is not necessarily time sensitive.
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➔ Soft news includes profiles of people, programs, or organizations.

➔ Feature stories take a step back from headline.
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➔ A good feature might be about people of your community, their victories, defeats,
struggles, or maybe about a trip someone took to Africa as a part of school project.
➔ It follows the Inverted Pyramid structure (the most vital information at first, then
move to least imp in descending order).

#Diff b/w News, Features, Articles and Backgrounders:

NEWS is actively factual, concise report of recent events, usually with an inverted pyramid
structure.
FEATURE is a piece of article exploring a range of emotions, articles, issues, opinions,
experiences and ideas.
NEWS ARTICLE discusses a recent news of either general interest or of a specific topic. It
provides the point of view of individual writers.
BACKGROUNDER gives press or other interested parties more detailed information about
an event, person or lodge. It is like a revision of the reporter. It is a factual update.
➔ A backgrounder is different from a feature because a feature has a headline but a
backgrounder may not have a headline.
➔ Feature is detailed interpretation of an event by correlating the event to similar
events of the past.
➔ A backgrounder is a reference material which helps the newspaper write the
editorial.
➔ News stories give timely information.

#News sources:
1. ATTRIBUTION is a key element of news writing. It refers to the way journalists
give credits to their sources in their reporting. It keeps the reader understand
listeners or viewers learn that where the info has come from.
TYPES OF ATTRIBUTION:
On the record – all statements are directly quotable and attributable by name and
title to the person making the statement.
On background – all statements are directly quotable but can’t be attributed by
name or specific title to the person commenting (only designation).
On deep background – anything I.e. said in the interview is usable but not in direct
quotation and not meant for attribution.
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2. QUOTATIONS defined as the written form of the words that people have spoken.
When using quotations, they should verify the accuracy of the information and
ensure the source is reliable expert.
3. CREDIBILITY is defined as being reliable, a story to believe in and trusted.
Attribution helps to increase credibility.
4. BY LINE is the name of the journalist or author that appears alongside an article
or story. It indicates who wrote the piece.
5. CREDIT LINE is used to acknowledge the source of photograph, illustration or
other visual material used in a news article.
6. EMBARGO is an agreement between a journalist and a source that restricts the
release of certain information until specific date and time. Journalists must respect
embargo to maintain their professional integrity and avoid damaging their
relationship with sources.

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UNIT - 2
#News reporting – Reporting for various belts:
News reporting is a crucial aspect of mass communication as it involves gathering, verifying
and presenting news stories to the public. News reporting refers to the process of covering
specific topics or areas of interest within a broader scope.
Beats is a specific area covered regularly by a specific reporter. It can be categorized into
various topics such as politics, sports, business, entertainment, health, education, crime,
environment and technology.
• POLITICS focuses on government actions, policies and political events. Journalist
covering this beat attend press conferences, interviews, politicians, and analyse the
impact of political decision on the society.
• SPORTS involves covering athletic events, competitions and sports personalities.
Reporters in this field attend games, interview athletes and coaches who provide
update on team performance and achievements.
• BUSINESS involves economic development, company news, financial markets.
• ENTERTAINMENT involves movies, television, music, celebrities’ culture.
STRUCTURE FOR WRITING NEWS STORIES:
Inverted Pyramid style is best for brief stories about breaking news events.

The Lead

Body

The Tail

THE INVERTED PYRAMID refers to the style of journalism which places the most
important facts at the beginning and works “down” from there. Ideally, the first paragraph
should contain enough information to give the reader a good overview of the entire story.
The rest of the article explains and expands afterwards.

#Types of news reports:

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Objective

Investigative

Interpretative

1. OBJECTIVE NEWS REPORTS are also known as straight news or hard news. This
kind of reports are fact based. It aims to provide a neutral, balanced account of an
event or situation. It follows the traditional inverted pyramid style of writing.

Most important

Important

Least important

It is essential in journalism as it helps to inform the public about facts and even
without adding personal opinions or interpretations.
2. INVESTIGATIVE NEWS REPORTS involves in-depth research and exploration of a
particular issue or story. It is an exposing and reporting corruption. Journalists
conducting investigative reports often uncover hidden facts, expose corruption or
shed light on matters that are not immediately apparent to the public. This kind of
news report requires significant time, effort and sometimes with other journalists
or sources.
3. INTERPRETATIVE NEWS REPORT is also known as feature stories or soft news.
It provides readers with a more-in-depth understanding of a topic or event. It
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often includes personal perspectives, opinions and analysis from experts or

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individuals involved in the story. This reporting allows journalists to explore the
human side of a news story and present a more comprehensive view of a subject.

#Reporting for Newspapers, magazines and News Agencies:

NEWSPAPER –
➔ A newspaper is a publication that is issued daily or weekly and includes local and
international news stories, advertisements, announcements, opinions, cartoons, sports
news and television listings.
➔ It is an important method of letting the public knows everything that is happening in
their local area and around the world.
➔ Even with the advancements in computer technology, newspapers still continue to be
an important aspect of everyday life.
➔ For newspaper reporting it is required to deliver the information on deadline
otherwise it will leave out by the newspaper because of the printing process. And as
we all know that newspaper is 24-hour late process in comparison to electronic
media.
Size – 29.5 inch / 23.5 inch
MAGAZINES –
➔ Magazines may be referred to as popular press publications because articles are often
written by journalists, who gather information from various sources.
➔ Magazine’s reporting style is also quite different from newspapers because they are
not having the same issue of deadline to report a story.
➔ They come weekly or monthly in which they have ample time to develop a story and
do proper research of the subject.
➔ Reporting for magazine requires photographs in a comparatively larger quantity.
NEWS AGENCIES –
➔ News agencies were created with a single aim to enrich the newspapers with a wide
variety of news events happening around the world.
➔ Initially the agencies were meant to provide the news items only to the newspapers
but with the passage of time, the rapidly developing modern mediums such as the
radio, television and Internet too adapted the services of news agencies.
➔ News agencies working process is totally different from newspapers because news
agencies work as a news provider to different news channels, they are not publishing
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the news like Times of India, and Hindustan Times.

Qualities of a good journalist:

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Journalism is a sacred profession so one should require certain qualities for this profession.
It is understood that organization is recognized by its workers and the workers by their
organization. A single worker can cause the failure of whole system if not caught with time.
From the above discussion, it is clear that a journalist should have following qualities:
1. Information of current affairs – in present time, life is so much complex so one should
have complete information and awareness about his/her surrounding issues. Lack of
information can put you on back in this field. He/she should have awareness about
their region, country, culture, geography and must have a good interest in National
and International affairs of his/her country.
2. Good writer – everyone knows how to write but writing according to the demand of
department is little bit difficult. So, a journalist must have extraordinary writing skills
which comes via experience. One should know how to write a news, article or
column. Being a journalist, you should not wait for the mood to write.
3. Good translator – translation skills to translate the content in required language is
also necessary. He/she can write and understand the concerned language. For
example, being a Pakistani He/she can translate the news from national language Urdu
to English. If you are a journalist of any international news agency than good grip on
English is necessary.

# Structure and style of news writing:

1. CHRONOLOGICAL FORMAT pattern works very well when a writer is trying to
convey critical points of a story. It is widely used for narrating or writing stories,
real or fictions. Entire sequence of event is presented in order of occurrence.
Story has a beginning, middle and end. Example – books.
2. INVERTED PYRAMID FORMAT is most common structure used in news writing.
The main news is placed at the top and rest of the detail following in decreasing
order of importance. It helps the readers quickly grasp the main points of the
story, even if they don’t read the entire article.
3. HOURGLASS FORMAT is least used in journalism. Generally reserved for use in
feature or in magazine articles.

# Types of Headline, Lead and Body:

HEADLINE is a window to the story. It must tell a story, must confirm to newspaper
standards. It summarizes a story. It should be bright, informative, clear and accurate.
Functions of headline are – to give information quickly; entice the reader.
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TYPES OF HEADLINES:

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1. Banner headline is written in large letter across the width of the newspaper. It can
be found on the first page of the newspaper and covers all the columns from left
to right.
2. Skyline headline is very exceptional and exclusive event. The headline of the story
is given on the nameplate of newspaper. It means the event is even more
important than the authority.
3. Rectangle or square headline tells all lines are equal from left to right. Normally it
is from 3 line but sometimes it can be of 2 to 4 lines.
4. Waistline headline tells both top and bottom lines are wider and equal but the
centre line is narrow and small and placed centrally.
5. Hanging headline is a headline with more than two or more lines which are
justified on the right side and unjustified on the left.
6. Dropline/step line headline has two or three lines and arrangements of lines looks
like a staircase.
7. Crosser headline has normally one line headline which is given in the middle of the
story. In the story of few important points are highlighted in the middle of the
story.
LEADS is the beginning of the story. Lead or intro is the important element of the news
story. It is the window of the story because the quality or readability determines
whether the reader should read further or skip the story.
TYPES OF LEAD:
1. Summary/digest/straight lead brings the central issue of discussions at first.
Example – 12 persons were killed at least 50 injured and hospitalized when a
bus and car smashed into each other.
2. Name lead – When the person mentioned in the news is important. Example –
Sachin announces retirement from test.
3. Question lead starts with a question mark. It draws a reader attention with a
question. Example – Will BJP support UPA on FDI?
4. Direct quotation lead – when the first para begins with quotation from a
speech or statement made by a VIP. Example – “Question _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
hello” says Khalli.
5. Contract lead is a lead which compared two different situations. Example –
(comedy with tragedy); (past and present); (age with youth)
6. Parody lead attempt to play on proverb, quotation, song titles or phrases.
Example – “Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikander”.
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7. Direct appeal/ address lead directly speaks to the reader. It addresses the
reader as “you”.
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8. Circumstantial lead stresses on the circumstances which the individual took

place.
BODY is a news article where the journalist provides the detail and context of the
story. It can include quotes, facts, statistics, and expert opinions to support the
narrative.
TYPES OF BODY:
1. Chronological order pattern works very well when a writer is trying to
convey critical points of a story. It is widely used for narrating or writing
stories, real or fictions. Entire sequence of event is presented in order of
occurrence.
2. Thematic order refers to the structure groups related info together
allowing the reader to understand the key themes or issues related to the
story.
3. Inverted pyramid is most common structure used in news writing. The main
news is placed at the top and rest of the detail following in decreasing order
of importance. It helps the readers quickly grasp the main points of the
story, even if they don’t read the entire article.
4. Listicle or bullet points presents info in a list format, with each item typically
containing a brief description or explanation. This structure is useful for
breaking down complex information into digestible chunks and making it
easier for reader to scan and understand.

# Guidelines for Headline writing:

• A good headline should be accurate, clear, grammatically correct, strong, active, fresh
and immediate.
• It should catch readers attention.
• It summarizes or talks about the article.
• It shall be sensational but not misleading.
• Four points to test each headline are – accurate, clean, tone and twist.
• Use numbers and statistics to provide context and make the headline more
informative.
• Too many abbreviations spoil the headline.
• Punctuation marks should be used rarely.
• Use active voice.
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UNIT - 3
# Set up and functioning of a city reporting room in a daily
and a bureau:
City reporting room
1. In a daily – a city reporting room in a daily newspaper is a dedicated space where
reporters, editors and other staff focus on covering local news and events happening
in a specific city or region.
• News gathering – reporters are responsible for gathering news stories from various
sources, such as press releases, official statements, interviewers and on site visits. They
must be familiar with the city geographics, demographics etc to provide
comprehensive coverage.
• Story development – reporters develop the story by conducting interviews,
researching background information and verifying facts. They write a draft of the story,
adhering to newspaper’s style guide.
• Editing and production – editors in the city reporting room review the drafts, make
necessary changes for clarity, accuracy and style and ensure the stories align with the
newspaper’s editorial stance. Once the stories are finalized, they are sent to the
production team for layout and design.
• Coordination with other departments – the city reporting room collaborates with
other departments, such as photography, graphics etc to ensure that the stories are
presented in a visually platform, including print and digital.
Bureau
A bureau is a smaller satellite office that serves as a local representation of a larger media
organization. It typically focus on covering news in a specific region or country. Setup and
function of a city reporting room in a bureau are similar to daily newspapers.
• Regional focus – city reporting room in a daily newspaper primarily covers local news,
a bureau may have a broader regional focus, requiring reporters to travel to different
cities or towns within the region to gather news stories.
• Collaboration – bureau staff often collaborate with other bureau and main office to
share resources, expertise and news stories. It helps to ensure comprehensive
coverage of national and international events that may impact the region.
• Limited resources – as smaller size of bureau, the resources such as staff, equipment
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and budget may be limited. It can affect the scope and depth of coverage provided by
the city reporting room.
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• Multimedia coverage – rise of digital media, bureau are expected to provide

multimedia coverage including videos, podcasts and social media updates in addition
to print journalism.

# Functions and responsibilities of a news editor:

NEWS EDITOR is one of the most important people who plans a daily newspaper. Its role
in newspaper office is supreme. The senior editorial position responsible for overseeing the
newsroom and managing the publication’s news coverage. A news editor is responsible for a
steady and continuous inflow of news in the newsroom.
FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Setting editorial policies and priorities for news coverage.
2. Assigning stories to reporters and correspondents based on news value and
audience interest.
3. Reviewing and editing news article for accuracy, clarity and adherence to editorial
guidelines.
4. Monitoring news developments, such as photography, design and production to
ensure timely and accurate publication of news content.
5. Monitoring and coaching reporters, providing feedbacks, guidance and support in
their professional development.

# Functions and responsibilities of a sub-editor:

SUB EDITOR or a copy editor is a versatile man in the newspaper. Its his job to be able to
edit easily and efficiently all kind of copy comprising of technical terms. Mid-level editorial
position responsible for editing and preparing news articles for publication.
FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Editing news articles for accuracy, clarity, grammar, spelling and style.
2. Rewriting or restricting articles to improve readability and flow.
3. Fact-checking info and verifying sources to ensure that accuracy and reliability of
news event.
4. Writing headlines, sub-headlines and captions that accurately reflect the content of
the article and attract reader attention.
5. Collaborating with reporters, photographers and other staff members to finalize
news content for publication.

# Functions and responsibilities of a chief sub-editor:

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CHIEF SUB-EDITOR heads sub-editorial group all news and photographs for publication
reaches his table. It is senior editorial position responsible for managing the sub-editing
team and overseeing the editing process of news article. Ensure that articles are edited
to a high standard and meet the publications quality and style requirements.
FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Leading and supervising the sub-editing team, providing guidance, training and
feedback to ensure high-quality editing standards.
2. Reviewing and approving edited articles to ensure accuracy, consistency and
adherence to editorial guidelines.
3. Also responsible for caption of pictures used in a newspaper
4. Traces the story background to provide a complete picture of an event or
news.\
5. Serving as a point of contact for reporters, editors and other staff members
regarding editing-related issues and concerns.

# Editorial writing and its importance:

EDITORIAL is considered as soul of the newspaper. It reflects the policy and stand of the
newspaper on the burning issues of the day. It serves as watchdog of public interest by
pointing out differences and irregularities. It offers suggestions and solution to problems of
burning issues of the society.
Motive of an editorial:
1. Explain or interpret
2. Criticize
3. Persuade
Qualities of an editorial:
1. Clarity
2. Credibility
3. Fairness
4. Relevance
5. Impact
6. Analytical mind
7. Cares for details
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8. Logical reasoning
9. Mastery of language
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IMPORTANCE OF AN EDITORIAL:
Editorial is meant to influence public opinion, promote critical thinking and sometimes cause
people to take action on an issue. It is an opinionated news story. The newspaper editorial is
a great learning and education process.
EDITORIALS HAVE:
1. Intro, body and conclusion
2. Objective explanation of the issue, especially complex issues.
3. Timely news angle
4. Opinions of the writer delivered inn professional manner.
5. A solid and concise conclusion that powerfully summarizes the writer’s opinion.

# Letter to the editor:

LETTER TO EDITOR column is an important component of the newspaper where views of
the readers on problems of the day, grievance and aspiration are reflected.
LETTER TO EDITOR SHOULD HAVE 5-PART APPROACH:
1. Introduction
2. Opinion
3. Anecdote – short interesting story about a real incident/person.
4. Evidence
5. Conclusion
TIPS:
• Keep your letter short and simple. They should not exceed 200 words.
• Research topic thoroughly. Support arguments with facts and evidence.
• Catchy beginning and a strong ending.
• Letter should be grammatically correct, clear and easy to understand or logical.
• Include your name, address, e-mail, and phone number.
BOOK REVIEW is a form of literary criticism in which a book is merely described
(summary review) and analysed based on content, style or merit. It include a very brief
overview of the book, the purpose or audience for the book.
• Introduce the book
• Summary of the story
• Best part of the book
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• How easy it is to understand

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• Give recommendation.
FILM REVIEW is a popular way of critics to assess a film’s overall quality and determine
whether they think the film is worth recommending or not. Analyse the effectiveness of the
plot, acting, direction, special effect, musical effect, cinematography.
STEPS:
1. Should include- name of the film, prominent star of the film, basic setting (time
and place) and genre (comedy, adventure, drama, etc.)
2. Plot summary for the movie – do not reveal the ending, discuss at least 5
events and be sure to cover the entire scope of the movie, except the very end.
3. One aspect of film making- choose from acting, directions, editing, costume
design, set design, photography, background music.
4. Give overall reaction to the film as well as opinion on the quality of the film.
Include recommendations for potential viewers.

# Stylesheet: importance and relevance:

STYLESHEET simply is a statement and a reflection of the style standards and practices of a
publisher of newspaper, books or magazines. It is a document which contains guidelines and
instructions for the reports and sub editor to follow while writing and editing a news story.
Stylesheet is planned and prepared by the editorial staff for giving a unique style to the
newspaper.
IMPORTANCE:
1. Stylesheet is the document that prescribes editorial instructions for editorial staff
in a newspaper or magazine.
2. It carries guidelines or instructions for both sub-editors and reporters.
3. Every newspaper has its own stylesheet which is prepared and developed by the
editorial staff. It helps the newspaper in maintaining its own distinctive style.
4. Basic purpose of stylesheet is to inform uniformity and harmony in the working of
the editorial staff and in overall quality of the newspaper.
5. Stylesheet guides the editorial staff whenever they are stuck, motivates them to
improve the copy and produce a presentable newspaper.
6. Staffs in a newspaper are always strapped for time. One hardly has the time to sit
and experiment with different fonts, sizes and colours. Thus, stylesheet comes in
handy.
7. Some papers tend to look chaotic because everyone on the layout desk wants to
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8. Copy for newspapers come from a variety of sources – its own reporters,
agencies, freelancers etc. Every source has its own style of writing. Everyone’s
ultimate goal should be to create a coherent look for the overall paper.

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UNIT – 4
# Editing: definition, objectives and principles:
DEFINITION – editing is a process of reviewing or refining written content to improve its
quality, accuracy and clarity. It involves making corrections, revisions and enhancements.
Editing plays a crucial role as it help to maintain the credibility and professionalism of the
publication.
OBJECTIVES –
1. Ensuring accuracy and fact checking – editors verify facts, figures and quotes in the
article.
2. Improving clarity and readability – make changes to the text to ensure it is easy to
understand and engaging for the readers.
3. Ensuring consistency – ensure that writing style, tone and formatting are consistent
throughout the publication.
4. Maintaining the voice and purpose – help authors stay on track with intended
message and tone of the article.
5. Adhering to editorial guidelines and style manuals – make sure the content follows
the guidelines set by the publication.
PRINCIPLES –
1. Accuracy – one mistake can destroy the entire reputation of the magazine or
newspaper. Checking or cross-checking names, figure and fact verifications are very
important.
2. Clarity – ability to think clearly. It comes with a vision and planning.
3. Readability – the best way to write stories using simple words is the use of short and
simple sentences.
4. Balance – balance is presenting information in its entirety.
5. Fairness – fairness is being unbiased.

# Editing symbols:
• Set of standard symbols
• Allows to indicate changes without using words
Editing symbols are the marks used by editors to indicate changes, additions or deletions.
These symbols clarify the editor’s suggestions without altering the original manuscript.
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Common editing symbols include:

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➔ Circle with line through it – indicates a word or phrase to be deleted.

➔ Insert (A) – indicates something needs to be inserted here.
➔ Stroke (/) – indicates the capital letter set in a lowercase.
➔ Double underline ( _ _ ) – indicates a missing letter
➔ Underline (=) – indicates a word or phrase to be emphasized.

# Proof-reading:
Proof reading symbols are used to make errors or corrections in a final proof before
publication. Error – free newspapers simply do not exist. Despite the concentrated effort of
writers, editors and proof readers, errors still appear in every issue of every newspaper.
➔ New paragraph – indicates a new paragraph should be added.
➔ Delete – when used over a letter or word, which indicates that the element is to be
removed.
➔ Capitalize – indicates that the letter should be in capital letters.
➔ Align vertically – indicates words / sentences that should be aligned vertically against
each other.
➔ Bold – indicates words or phrases written in bold.
Proof reading also includes:
➔ Follow copy
➔ Correction or grammatical mistakes.
➔ Correction of editing symbols.
➔ Correction of factual mistakes.

# advent of electronic editing

Electronic Editing Computers dominate the newsroom of newspapers these days.
Reporters write their stories on computer terminals and save copies there only. City
editors and section editors use computer networking to call the story up from storage for
review and preliminary editing. Copy editors use them for the final editing and headline
writing. The so-called front-end system will vary from newspaper to newspaper, depending
on the particular equipment purchased. However, most computers are quite similar and
once a reporter or copy editor has learned one system, using a different one requires very
little adjustment. Electronic editing saves time and makes archiving easy. Personal computers
are considered a blessing by some copy editors. Others still are not. There is no question
that a computer is more flexible than a typewriter. A copy editor can perform the following
functions on PC: -
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1. Delete characters, words, lines and paragraphs as well as move entire blocks of copy
within a single story.
2. Delete the entire story.
3. Add new text at any location in the story being displayed on the computer screen.
4. Instruct the computerized typesetting machine how wide to set the copy and what
font size and typeface to use for a particular story.
5. Write the headline for the story. A wide range of electronic editing systems are
available and they are being refined and made more sophisticated every year.

# Copy editing for newspaper, magazines and journals:

Copy editing for newspapers, magazines and journals is a crucial aspect of the editing layout
design process. It involves reviewing and refining written content to ensure quality, clarity,
and accuracy. This process helps maintain the professionalism and credibility of the
publication.
➔ Newspapers – copy editing is essential for ensuring that news articles, opinion pieces
and other content are free from grammatical errors, factual inaccuracies and
inconsistencies. Facts and quotes must be verified and must make sure that the story
is presented in a clear and concise manner.
➔ Magazines – copy editing plays a significant role in maintaining the publications tone,
voice and aesthetics. Editors review articles, interviews and other written content to
ensure that they are engaging, well-structured and adhere to the magazine’s style
guide.
➔ Journals – copy editing is vital in maintaining the academic integrity and scientific
accuracy of the published research. Review manuscripts for clarity, adherence to
formatting guidelines. You can also verify the accuracy of the research findings and
suggest revisions to overall quality of manuscripts.

# Use of graphics:
Graphics journalism is a specialized form of journalism that uses graphics forms to present
information. These forms often use words as well as illustration, so the graphics journalist
must have the ability to write— especially to use word efficiently. Graphics journalism
generally backs up and adds information to other reporting and writing that the publication
has done. Except photographs, there are other kinds of picture which can also tell the
news.
1. Provides a new way of seeing and thinking
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2. The information tells a story

3. It works on multiple levels
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4. The visual is well-designed

5. The graphic stands on its own
Graphics include illustrations, charts, maps, diagrams etc elements that help explain or
support the written content.

# Use of cartoons:
The word ‘cartoon’ is derived from the Italian word ‘cartone’ meaning ‘paper’. It is
any drawing published originally in a periodical that makes its own point, with or without
a caption. In newspapers, political cartoons have always been in use. They are also
known as Editorial Cartoons. They are single panels of graphics that are satire of
political events. Cartoons have a non-continuing format and they make an
independent statement or observation on political events or social Policy. The use of
cartoons in Indian newspapers grew after independence. Cartoons in daily newspapers also
appear as critical analysis of political events and social issues during this epoch. Many
prominent cartoonists presented their views and talent in dailies and this consequently gave
journalism a new form expression. Later were integrated in magazines and newsletters
also.

# Use of info-graphics:
Info-graphics is a visual representation of data or information, designed to make complex
topic easier to understand combination of text, images and charts to present information in
a clear and engaging manner.
1. MAPS - One of the basic questions which journalists need to answer is where? One
of the best ways to answering this question is by publishing a map. For a foreign news
story, there can be a map showing the location of the country where the news is
happening. For a national story, it can be a map showing whereabouts in the country
the town is, where the news is happening.
2. Graphs and charts - When the story depends on comparing sets of figures, it may be
easier for the readers to understand if they are presented in graph or chart form.
Once again, it is important to remember that all lines should be drawn boldly, and that
the chart or graph should not be crowded with too much unnecessary information.
3. Drawings - Sometimes a drawing can illustrate a story more effectively than a
photograph can do. A news story about a dramatic rescue of a child from the side of
a cliff, in bad weather, may be difficult to illustrate with photographs for several
reasons.
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# Photo caption and cutline; guidelines:

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Definition :
➔ Photo caption is a brief text that accompanies a photograph, providing context
information or explanation of what is happening in the image.
➔ Cutlines should be as concise as possible. Cutlines are the words describing the
photograph or illustration. It should be straight-forward and clear.
Relevance:
➔ Captions are crucial for providing context and enhancing the reader’s understanding
of the context. It helps to clarify the subjet, setting and other essential details that
might not be immediately apparent from the image alone.
➔ Captions can add emotional depth or humour to the photograph, making it more
engaging for the reader.
Guidelines:
➔ Be concise and clear – caption must be in brief and to the point. It must effectively
communicate the information. Avoid using jargon or overly complex language.
➔ Maintain neutrality – caption should remain objective and must not include personal
opinion or biases.
➔ Use active voice – make them more engaging and easier to understand.
➔ Include relevant details – provide essential context and details that help reader
understand the image better which include location, date, event or name of people
featured in the photograph.
➔ Proof reading and edit – grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, inconsistencies.

# design and layout for newspaper, magazine and journal:

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