Media Studies One

Media Studies - I
PRINT MEDIA
SINCE 1966
Media Studies I
Print Media
Knowledge
Premanand M E
English
First Edition: July 2012
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Media Studies - I
PRINT MEDIA
Prof. Premanand M E
As per syllabus of University of Calicut for

students of III Sem BA Functional English
POORNA PUBLICATIONS, KOZHIKODE

Kozhikode ! Kannur ! Kalpatta ! Thrissur ! Kottayam ! Thiruvananthapuram
About the author:
Prof. Premanand M E, Associate Professor, has been associated

with the Dept. of English, Malabar Christian College, Calicut,
Kerala, India since 1989. He is currently engaged in research
on Collaborative Writing using ICT for young learners. He is also
an ELT trainer and combines his IT skills with pedagogy of
teaching English language. Widely travelled, he has presented
15 papers along with international presentations of papers in
Myanmar, Ireland and Thailand. He has published five e-books
on Informatics, Informatics for Gen Next, Studies in Advertising,
Media II, and Writing for the Media for students of Calicut
University. An avid web designer & CMS provider,
he maintains 2 blogs and 2 active websites –
www.funenglishmcc.com and www.premclt.com
Please feel free to contact him on premclt@gmail.com
Premanand M E
Research Scholar Associate Professor
Dept. of English Dept. of English
Calicut University Malabar Christian College
www.funenglishmcc.com www.premclt.com
Email – premclt@gmail.com Email –premclt@gmail.com
Acknowledgments
The Lord Almighty has been a great help and support in all my activities.
My well-wishers include many from my family and a host of others
who have supported me in this endeavour and I would like to thank
them profusely.
The inspiration to bring out this book was the students of 5thSemester
(2010-2013batch). Shervani K was instrumental in editing, organizing,
scouring the library and online resources for most sections of Media II
while SubinVarghese was active in the process of editing and compiling
Media I. New technology features like collaborative writing and ‘on
the cloud’ storage technologies were put to maximum use. Google Docs
and Dropbox were always on hand in terms of technology assisted
tools.
My books and e-books would not have been a reality without Sri.
Ernest Edapally, Manager (2010 – 2011) who was instrumental in setting
up the ILS Centre at Malabar Christian College, Calicut. This was the
place where I would sit and collaborate with the world outside.
I owe a lot to my Principal, Prof. Gladys P E Isaac, present Manager
Prof. Jayaprakash Raghaviah, HOD, Dr. Lizzy Manjooran and my
department colleagues,
I cannot forget Prof. Prasanth V G, HOD, RSM SNDP Yogam College,
Koyilandy for all out support. I am also grateful to Dr. B Sreedevi, my
Research guide for encouraging me in all related activities.
This being an initial attempt, I welcome suggestions and
recommendations and if any errors have crept in, please pardon me.
Thank you one and all.
Prof. Premanand M E
Associate Professor
www.premclt.com
Miracles of technology &
Technology – assisted tools plus
a word of thanks
Back in 2009, when my students and I were discussing the
possibility of bringing out an e-book on Informatics, there arose
a discussion on how materials sourced from different books,
libraries and on-line sources could be collected, compiled and
brought out in the form of a CD.
Since my students were all digital natives, they were familiar
with the nuances of the computer. Thus we set about using
asynchronous and synchronous forms of communication. All of
us created email addresses and we would collect materials from
different sources and mail them to one central email address. We
would send the revised mail taking care to mark it as ‘revised’
with a specific date to show that it was more current than the
previous one.
Fast forward to 2010, we began to tinker with Dropbox. We
found out that it made a tremendous difference in our storage
and updating capabilities. Dropbox is one of the simplest forms
of a file-synchronization tool. Whatever and wherever your
computer is, Dropbox is on hand to allow access to your files
and that too very quickly and easily. Easy integration with iOS
devices is another feather in its cap. We also found out that
Dropbox made it to one of the most innovative products of that
year with BBC endorsing it. An e-book on Studies in Advertising
was the result.
We had also been tinkering with Writely from 2009 but it was
only in 2010 that we began to take a serious look at Docs by
Google. Google Docs has altered the way we collaborated.
Previously, email attachments and syncing of file were invariably
complemented with a phone call and a plea to look into the revised
draft. Now, all of us could sit together at an appointed time in the
cool environs of our own workplaces and edit, revise, redraft,
add whatever we needed in real time.
Thanks to modern technology tools, a netbook, a tablet and
a laptop were able to form a triangle and bring out this book.
The participants in this triangle viz the netbook [Asus], iPad
[Apple] and laptop [Dell] were all sponsored by the VAT family,
Ireland and I wish to thank them profusely. Thanks also to
Shervani K, Subin Varghese who were on the other two nodes
along with me. Thanks also to Dropbox and Google Docs.
For
Ashwin Maliyakal Vijayan,
my Godson in Ireland
Media Studies - I
PRINT MEDIA
SYLLABUS
MEDIA STUDIES—I
Print Media
Code: FE5B08 Contact Hours/week: 5
Credit: 4
Aim: To create in the student an awareness of the basic theories and
concepts related to communication and to give them basic training in
writing for the newspaper.
To introduce mass media and their characteristics to students.
To familiarize them with the history and fundamentals of print media
To familiarize them with the characteristics of print media content and
set a stepping stone for the student to be a print media professional.
Objectives: On completion of the course the student will have
(1) A broad based notion of the theories related to Communication.
(2) A knowledge of the history of the media.
(3) A knowledge of the fundamentals of media writing.
(4) The skill, by practice, of writing editorial, features, reviews and the
like.
Course Outline
Module I Introduction to Communication
Definition, elements of communication
Models of communication—Aristotle model, SMCR model, Shannon
and Weaver model etc
Types of Communication intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, mass
communication, verbal and nonverbal communication.
Module II :Introduction to Mass media.
Functions: inform, educate, entertain,sociaslise and reinforce
Various types of mass media and their characteristics
Print media: Newspaper, magazine, books
Electronic media: TV, Radio
Module III: Journalistic Writing: Definition—Journalistic writing Vs

Creative Writing
Print media content: News—news structure—inverted pyramid; hour
glass; lead; various types of leads
News Reporting; Feature writing—Editorial—Specializations—The
Women’s page—Review(Book/Film/Theatre, etc)
Magazine/periodical writing—
Module IV: Newspaper Production (Practical oriented)

How to produce a Newspaper?—Design, layout, sub-editing, Caption
writing, headlines.
Print media terminology.
Note: The teachers are to introduce these topics and students are to
find their application in the Newspaper they make.
Field Work: Students have to visit a newspaper office and prepare a
report based on their observations.
Core Books: Mencher, Melvin. Basic News Writing.Dubaque: William

C. Brown Co.,1983. Rich, Carole. Writing and Reporting News: A
Coaching Method, 4th ed, USA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2003
Wainwright, David Journalism: Made Simple. Heinemann. London,
1986
12 Media Studies - I PRINT MEDIA
General Reading
J. V. Vilanilam. Mass Communication in India.Sage publications :
New Delhi, 2005
Kamath M. V. Professional Journalism, Vikas publication House
Neal, James A & Brown, Suzane S News Writing & Reporting. New
Delhi,
Surjeeth Publications, 2003.
Gormly Eric.Writing and Producing News. New Delhi: Surjeeth
publications, 2005
M. L. Stein, Susan F. Paterno&R. Christopher Burnett. News Writer’s
Handbook. Blackwell, 2006
Reference
Klaus Bruhn Jensen. A handbook of Media and Communication
Research. Routledge, 2003
Note: Questions from Glossary should be selected from the

following terms:
Banner, Headline, bleed, blooper, barker, byline, credit line, dateline,
deadline, gravure, gutter, handout, jumpline, nameplate, masthead,
letterpress, logotype, offset, op-ed, widow, tombstone, tabloid,
broadsheet, stringer, dummy, embargo, freelance, lithography,
linotype, ear, news agency, beat, breaking news, new journalism,
precision journalism, style book, yellow journalism.
13
Evaluation
(a) Continuous Assessment Weight: 10
Test paper: 2 Report of the visit to the Newspaper office. 2
Newspaper Production:4 Attendance: 2
End Semester Assessment: Question paper pattern Weight :30
No Question type No. of Questions Weight
I Objective type 3 bunches of 4 questions each 3
II Short Answer 9 out of 12 (9 x 1) 9
III. Short Essay : (100 words) 7 out of 10 (7 x 2) 14
IV. Long Essay (300 words) 1 out of 2 (1 x 4) 4
Module I
INTRODUCTION TO
COMMUNICATION
Definition, elements of communication Models of
communication—Aristotle model, SMCR model, Shannon and
Weaver model etc Types of Communication intrapersonal,
interpersonal, group, mass communication, verbal and nonverbal
communication.
Definition for Communication

Communication is the activity of conveying information.
Communication has been derived from the Latin word “communis”,
meaning to share. Communication requires a sender, a message, and
an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or
aware of the sender’s intent to communicate at the time of
communication; thus communication can occur across vast distances in
time and space. Communication requires that the communicating parties
share an area of communicative commonality. The communication
process is complete once the receiver has understood the message of
the sender. Feedback is critical to effective communication between
parties.
Elements of communication
There are seven elements of communication:
1) Source idea
2) Message
3) Encoding
4) Channel
5) Receiver
6) Decoding
7) Feedback
Let’s discuss each element.

The Source idea is the process by which one formulates an idea to
communicate to another party. This process can be influenced by
external stimuli such as books or radio, or it can come about internally
by thinking about a particular subject. The source idea is the basis for
the communication.
The Message is what will be communicated to another party. It is
based on the source idea, but the message is crafted to meet the needs
of the audience. For example, if the message is between two friends,
the message will take a different form than if communicating with a
superior.
Encoding is how the message is transmitted to another party. The
message is converted into a suitable form for transmission. The medium
of transmission will determine the form of the communication. For
example, the message will take a different form if the communication
will be spoken or written.
The Channel is the medium of the communication. The channel
must be able to transmit the message from one party to another without
changing the content of the message. The channel can be a piece of
paper, a communications medium such as radio, or it can be an email.
Introduction to Communication 17
The channel is the path of the communication from sender to receiver.

An email can use the Internet as a channel.
The Receiver is the party receiving the communication. The party
uses the channel to get the communication from the transmitter. A receiver
can be a television set, a computer, or a piece of paper depending on
the channel used for the communication.
Decoding is the process where the message is interpreted for its
content. It also means the receiver thinks about the message’s content
and internalizes the message. This step of the process is where the
receiver compares the message to prior experiences or external stimuli.
Feedback is the final step in the communications process. This step
conveys to the transmitter that the message is understood by the receiver.
The receiver formats an appropriate reply to the first communication
based on the channel and sends it to the transmitter of the original
message.
MODELS OF COMMUNICATION
Aristotle’s Communication Model

Aristotle, a great philosopher initiative the earliest mass
communication model called “Aristotle’s Model of Communication”.
He proposed model before 300 B.C who found the importance
of audience role in
communication chain in his
communication model.
This model is more focused
on public speaking than
interpersonal communication.
Aristotle Model of Communication is formed with 5 basic elements

(i) Speaker,
(ii) Speech,
(iii) Occasion,
(iv) Audience and
(v) Effect.
Aristotle advises speakers to build speech for different audience on
different time (occasion) and for different effects.
Speaker plays an important role in Public speaking. The speaker
must prepare his speech and analysis audience needs before he enters
into the stage. His words should influence in audience mind and persuade
their thoughts towards him.
Example:
Alexander gave brave speech to his soldiers in the war field to defeat
Persian Empire.
Speaker - Alexander
Speech - about his invasion
Occasion - War field
Audience - Soldiers
Effect - To defeat Persia
SMCR MODEL
This is the very basic model for communication. Shannon and weaver
identified this model in 1949.
SMCR stands for:

Source
Message
Channel
Receiver
Source : Creator of the message or from whom the message is

sent.
Message : The actual content or idea for the communication.
Channel : The medium through which communication taking place,
so that the message can be conveyed from one place to another.
Receiver : The individual or group or the person who finally receives
the message.
SMCR model describes the exchange of information and the model
can be applied to all forms of communication
Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication

In 1948, Shannon was an American mathematician, Electronic
engineer and Weaver was an American scientist both of them join together
to write an article in “Bell System Technical Journal” called “A
Mathematical Theory of Communication” and also called as “Shannon-
Weaver model of communication”.
This model is specially designed to develop the effective
communication between sender and receiver. Also they find factors
which affecting the communication process called “Noise”. At first the
model was developed to improve the Technical communication. Later

it’s widely applied in the field of Communication.The model deals with
various concepts like Information source, transmitter, Noise, channel,

message, receiver, channel, information destination, encode and decode.
Sender : The originator of message or the information source selects
desire message.
Encoder : The transmitter which converts the message into signals.
Note: The sender’s messages converted into signals like waves or
Binary data which is compactable to transmit the messages through
cables or satellites. For example: In telephone the voice is converted
into wave signals and it transmits through cables.
Decoder : The reception place of the signal which converts signals
into message. A reverse process of encode.
Note : The receiver converts those binary data or waves into message
which is comfortable and understandable for receiver. Otherwise receiver
can’t receive the exact message and it will affect the effective
communication between sender and receiver.
Receiver : The destination of the message from sender.
Note : Based on the decoded message the receiver gives their feed
back to sender. If the message distracted by noise it will affect the
communication flow between sender and receiver.
Noise: The messages are transferred from encoder to decoder

through channel. During this process the messages may distracted or
affected by physical noise like horn sounds, thunder and crowd noise
or encoded signals may distract in the channel during the transmission
process which affect the communication flow or the receiver may not
receive the correct message.
Note : The model clearly deals with external noises only which affect
the messages or signals from external sources. For example: If any
problems occur in network which directly affect the mobile phone
communication or distract the messages.
(Practical Example of Shannon-Weaver model of communication :
Thomson made call to his assistant “come here I want to see you”.
During his call, noise appeared (transmission error) and his assistant
received “I want” only. Again Assistant asked Thomson (feedback)
“what do you want Thomson”.
Sender : Thomson
Encoder : Telephone (Thomson)
Channel : Cable
*Noise : Distraction in voice
Reception : Telephone (Assistant)
Receiver : Assistant.
Due to transmission error or noise, Assistant wasn’t able to

understand Thomson’s messages.
* The noise affects the communication flow between them.

Criticism of Shannon-Weaver model of communication:

1. One of the simplest model and its general applied in various
communication theories.
2. The model which attracts both academics of Human communication
and Information theorist to leads their further research in
communication.
3. Its more effective in person-to-person communication than group
or mass audience.
4. The model based on “Sender and Receiver”. Here sender plays the
primary role and receiver plays the secondary role (receive the
information or passive).
5. Communication is not a one way process. If it’s behaved like that,
it will lose its strength. For example: Audience or receiver who is
listening to a radio, reading the books or watching television is a
one way communication because absence of feedback.
6. Understanding Noise will helps to solve the various problems in
communication
Harold Dwight Lasswell (February 13, 1902 — December 18,
1978)
Harold Dwight Lasswell, the American political scientist states that

a convenient way to describe an act of communication is to answer the
following questions
Who
Says What
In Which Channel
To Whom
With what effect?
This model is about process of communication and its function to
society, According to Lasswell there are three functions for
communication:
Surveillance of the environment
Correlation of components of society
Cultural transmission between generation
Lasswell model suggests the message flow in a multicultural society
with multiple audiences. The flow of message is through various channels.
And also this communication model is similar to Aristotle’s
communication model.
In this model, the communication component who refers the research
area called “Control Analysis”,
Says what is refers to “Content Analysis”,
In which channel is refers to “Media Analysis”,
To Whom is refers to “Audience Analysis”
With What Effect is refers to “Effect Analysis”
Example:
CNN NEWS – A water leak from Japan’s tsunami-crippled nuclear
power station resulted in about 100 times the permitted level of
radioactive material flowing into the sea, operator Tokyo Electric Power
Co said on Saturday.
Who – TEPC Operator

What – Radioactive material flowing into sea
Channel – CNN NEWS (Television medium)
Whom – Public
Effect – Alert the people of japan from the radiation.
Advantage of Lasswell model:

It is Easy and Simple
It suits for almost all types of communication
The concept of effect
Disadvantage of Lasswell model:

Feedback not mentioned
Noise not mentioned
Linear Mode
Types of communication
Intrapersonal communication
Intrapersonal communication is
language use or thought internal to the
communicator. It can be useful to envision
intrapersonal communication occurring in
the mind of the individual in a model which
contains a sender, receiver, and feedback
loop.
Interpersonal communication
Interpersonal communication is the
universal form of communication that
takes place between two individuals.
Since it is person-to-person contact,
it includes everyday exchange that
may be formal or informal and can
take place anywhere by means of
words, sounds, facial expression,
gestures and postures.
Group communication
Group communication is an extension of interpersonal communication
where more than two individuals are involved in exchange of ideas,
skills and interests. A group is a number of people with a common goal
who interact with one another to accomplish their goals, recognize one
another’s existence and see themselves as part of the group. Groups
provide an opportunity for people to come together to discuss and
exchange views of common interest
Mass communication
Outside the realm of
interpersonal communi-
cation exists another form of
communication, which
involves communication with
mass audiences and hence the
name mass communication;
and the channels through
which this kind of communication takes place are referred to as mass

media. Both mass communication and mass media are generally
considered synonymous for the sake of convenience. Mass
communication is unique and different from interpersonal communication
as evident from the following definition. Any mechanical device that
multiplies messages and takes it to a large number of people
simultaneously is called mass communication. The media through which
messages are being transmitted include radio, TV, newspapers,
magazines, films, records, tape recorders, video cassette recorders,
etc and require large organizations and electronic devices to put across
the message.
Verbal communication
Verbal communication is the most common
way people relay messages. Verbal refers to the
spoken word. When speaking to people, your
message should always be conveyed
respectfully.
Using language the receiver can interpret
easily means it is more likely your message will be clearly understood.
Non-verbal communication
Non-verbal communication
accompanies or makes up the rest of the
channels of communication. It includes
body language, gestures, written, and
any other communication that is not
spoken. The only exception is sign
language, which is considered to be a
form of verbal communication.
Special thanks to:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_elements_of_communication
#ixzz1xem68Gvs
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_elements_of_communication
#ixzz1xelkv3WN
http://communicationtheory.org/aristotle%E2%80%99s-
communication-model/
http://communicationtheory.org/shannon-and-weaver-model-of-
communication/
http://communicationtheory.org/lasswells-model/
http://www.ask.com/wiki/Intrapersonal_communication?
Module II
INTRODUCTION
TO MASS MEDIA
Functions: inform, educate, entertain, sociaslise and reinforce
Various types of mass media and their characteristics Print
media: Newspaper, magazine, books Electronic media: TV, Radio
Functions of Mass Communication

Mass communication has three
basic functions:
# To inform
# To entertain and
# To persuade
Additionally it also educates and

helps in transmission of culture.
To Inform:
Dissemination of information is the primary function of the news
media. Newspapers, radio and TV provide us news from around the
world and keep us informed. Over the years the concept of news has
changed. News media do not ‘tell it like it is’ anymore. From mere
describing the events, news media have come to include human interest,
analysis and factorized treatment to news.
Introduction to mass media 29
Journalists are not just ‘reporters’

now. They have become news
analysts who discuss the implications
of important news stories. Also more
‘soft stories’ are filed these days. In
addition to dissemination of
information news media provide us
information and also helps understand
the news events, ideas, policy changes,
etc.
To Entertain:
The most common function of mass communication is entertainment.
Radio, television and films are basically entertainment media. Even
newspapers provide entertainment through comics, cartoons, features,
cross word puzzles, word jumbles, etc. entertainment through radio
consists of mainly music. Radio also provides entertainment through
drama, talk shows, comedy, etc.
Television has become primarily an entertainment medium. Even
highly specialized channels like news channels, nature and wildlife
channels also have a lot of humorous and comic content. Among all
media, films are perhaps the only medium concentrating on
entertainment. Except documentaries, educational films and art movies,
all films are made to provide three hour of escape, fantasy and
entertainment.
To Persuade
Most of mass media are used as vehicles of promotion and
persuasion. Goods, services, ideas, persons, places, events-the range
of things that are advertised through mass media is endless. Different

media have different features and reach. Advertisers and advertising
agencies analyze these features and depending upon the nature of the
message and the target audience, choose where (in which media) and
how (with what frequency) the message should be placed
PRINT MEDIA
Newspapers
Newspapers are the most
popular forms of print media. The
advertiser in this case can choose
from a daily newspaper to a
weekly tabloid. Different types of
newspaper cater to various
audiences and one can select the
particular category accordingly.
Advertisers then design press advertisements where in the size is decided
as per the budget of the client.
Magazines
Magazines also offer advertisers an
opportunity to incorporate various new
techniques and ideas. Magazines are one
such form of print media that give a more
specific target group to the client. The client
can make a choice of the particular magazine
as per the product.
Newsletters
Newsletters also form an important part
of print media. These target a specific group
of audience and give information on the
product.
Brochures
Brochures give detailed information about the
product. These are mainly distributed at events
or even at the main outlet when a consumer
needs to read in detail about the product.
Posters
Posters are forms of outdoor advertising. The
message in a poster has to be brief and eye-
catching as it targets a person on the move.
Direct marketing
Direct marketing is a channel-agnostic form of advertising that allows
businesses and nonprofits to communicate straight to the customer, with
advertising techniques such as mobile messaging, email, interactive
consumer websites, online display ads, fliers, catalog distribution,
promotional letters, and outdoor advertising.
Flyer (pamphlet)
A flyer or flier, also called a circular, handbill or
leaflet, is a form of paper advertisement intended for
wide distribution and typically posted or distributed
in a public place.
Flyers may be used by individuals, businesses, or
organizations to:
# Promote a good or service, such as a restaurant or nightclub.
# Persuade or send a social, religious, or political message, as in
evangelism or political campaign activities on behalf of a political
party or candidate.
# Flyers have been used in armed conflict: for example, airborne
leaflet propaganda has been a tactic of psychological warfare.
# Recruit members
# Advertise an event such as a music concert, nightclub appearance,
festival, or political rally.
Like postcards, pamphlets and small posters, flyers are a low-cost
form of mass marketing or communication.
The different types of print media content, varies according to the
targeted audience or market. Content in newspapers slightly differ to
that in magazines, tabloids and newsletters. These mediums serve the
purpose of showcasing advertisements, news or entertainment related
information to audiences. Newspapers are a worldwide medium that
have been around far back to Julius Caesar’s time in the form of
government bulletins. With the industrial revolution, newspapers were
made possible to print and were used as a means of communicating in
the year 1814, which kick started journalism.
Radio
The radio marked a turning
point, in the way information was
conveyed or transferred, because
it used sound to capture the
attention of audiences. Being the
first communications medium that
could transfer or transmit live
voices over long distances, radio was and still is one of the most effective
medium. People depended and still depend upon it as a source of
important news, and information. The importance and optimum use of
radio as a mass media was nowhere more evident than in World War
1. Radio was used to send diplomatic messages when Germany found
out the British had tapped its cables. It made itself a medium that
audiences found as their connection to all that happened worldwide. If
they ever knew that television and the Internet, would take the world
by storm in this day and age, they’d be blown away by how we’re
advancing, and still in the running to make it bigger and better.
Television
The progression of television
has come a long way from black
and white and color TV to
plasma and LCD TVs. The
advent of this ever-changing
medium started in the late
1930s, for entertainment and
news purposes initially. Now, we
have advertising that has been
incorporated into entertainment and news, to give viewers a chance to

avail from products/services. There’s also a new way of accessing the
Internet, by using a ‘Web TV’ that is hooked up instead of a PC, to
browse information, and watch streaming videos on large LCD screens.
After production of the TV program, a news channel has to make it
available to the market, for those who are interested in viewing it. These
programs can be talk shows, cooking shows, serials, movies and so
on. There are two ways that is done.
Thanks to:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/types-of-print-media.html
shttp://www.buzzle.com/articles/types-of-media.html
35
Module III
JOURNALISTIC WRITING
Definition—Journalistic writing Vs Creative Writing Print

media content: News—news structure—inverted pyramid; hour
glass; lead; various types of leads News Reporting; Feature
writing—Editorial—Specializations—The Women’s page—
Review(Book/Film/Theatre, etc) Magazine/periodical writing—
Journalistic writing
Journalistic writing is a style of writing different from “Formal Office”,
“Academic” or “personal” writing. In journalistic writing a person puts
the main points in the first sentence of the first paragraph — what will
grab a person’s attention. This is followed by the rest of the details and
written so that the article can easily be edited from the bottom up, if the
article needs shortening. Sources are mentioned within the text and
sentences and paragraphs can be short.
The Difference between Creative Writing and Journalism

Let’s start with Journalism. The differences and similarities of creative
writing.
Have you ever asked yourself how a story comes together? Or
asked why in a newspaper the main topic of the story is always in the
first paragraph?
The difference between the two is far reaching and very close
together. It just depends on how the ‘story’ is put together.
In Journalism, one is taught the five

W’s. Who, What, Where, When and
Why. Who the story or article is about,
what it is about, where it happened, when
it happened and why it happened. Of
course these are broad general terms.
One would not of course put in an article
about an Otter named Clyde, Who he
was. You already know from the
description. An Otter named Clyde. But
what if the Otter named Clyde had done
an amazing thing? Such as swim from one
side of the ocean to the other. Then you would want to know why he
swam that far and how. How his journey had got started, where he
started from, and how long it had taken him. The Headline to such an
amazing article may appear as such:
“An otter named Clyde finished his long swim home.”
When you saw such a headline, you would want to know more
about the otter named Clyde. It would capture your attention and you
would want to know more about him. That’s when you would get into
the details of the story or article. Why he swam that far, when he started
his swim, maybe into a short paragraph into the lives of otters and then
back to Clyde. Why he started his swim in the first place. Who set him
free? Why was he set free? Who had him and how he had come to
have him.
Does all of this sound familiar? It is known as ‘Pyramid Writing’.
The most important points first, to attract attention and get someone to
read your article, then ‘The body’ of the story, and finally, the ending.
Journalistic writing 37
The Two Differences

JOURNALISM
The Differences
I hope you can see the differences. In Journalism it is just the opposite
of creative writing. One could say that if you can master ADSENSE
you could be a journalist. ADSENSE does almost the exact same thing.
You want to draw the attention of your audience right from the start. If
you draw them in, they’ll keep reading, and the story or article will be
a winner. Just like in ADSENSE. If you draw someone to your website
or hub, they’ll keep reading.
In creative writing. The
principle is the same, to draw
one’s attention to what is being
written, but in a totally different
approach. You start with the
beginning, introducing the
characters, then the body or
‘MEAT’ of the story, then you
end the story with what happens
after the actions have been taken and then you end it. Or not, as the
case may be.
Journalism stories may keep going, but the difference in that is that
each article will stand by itself as a different story.
Headline (or head)
The headline, heading, head or title of a story; are different terms in
journalists’ jargon. The headline is typically a complete sentence
(e.g. “Pilot Flies Below Bridges to Save Divers”), often with auxiliary
verbs and articles removed (e.g. “Remains at Colorado camp linked to

missing Chicago man”). However, headlines sometimes omit the subject
(e.g. “Jumps from Boat, Catches in Wheel”) or verb (e.g. “Cat woman
lucky”).
Subhead (or dek or deck)

A phrase, sentence or several sentences near the title of an article or
story, a quick blurb or article teaser.
Lead (or lede) or intro
The most important structural element of a story is the lead (or “intro”
in the UK) — the story’s first, or leading, sentence. (Some American
English writers use the spelling lede( /ÈliÐd/), from the archaic English,
to avoid confusion with the printing press type formerly made from the
metal lead or the related typographical term leading.)
Charnley, states that “an effective lead is a ‘brief, sharp statement of

the story’s essential facts.’ The lead is usually the first sentence, or in
some cases the first two sentences, and is ideally 20-25 words in length.
The top-loading principle (putting the most important information first -
see inverted pyramid section below) applies especially to leads, but the
unreadability of long sentences constrains the lead’s size. This makes
writing a lead an optimization problem, in which the goal is to articulate
the most encompassing and interesting statement that a writer can make
in one sentence, given the material with which he or she has to work.
While a rule of thumb says the lead should answer most or all of the five
Ws, few leads can fit all of these.
To “bury the lead” in news style refers to beginning a description

with details of secondary importance to the readers, forcing them to
read more deeply into an article than they should have to in order to
discover the essential point(s).
Article leads are sometimes categorized into hard leads and soft
leads. A hard lead aims to provide a comprehensive thesis which tells
the reader what the article will cover. A soft lead introduces the topic in
a more creative, attention-seeking fashion, and is usually followed by a
nut graph (a brief summary of facts).
Media critics [who?] often note that the lead can be the most
polarizing subject in the article. Often critics accuse the article of bias
based on an editor’s choice of headline and/or lead.
Example lead-and-summary design

NASA is proposing another space project. The agency’s budget
request, announced today, included a plan to send another person to
the moon. This time the agency hopes to establish a long-term facility
as a jumping-off point for other space adventures. The budget requests
approximately ten trillion dollars for the project. ...
Example soft-lead design

Humans will be going to the moon again. The NASA announcement
came as the agency requested ten trillion dollars of appropriations for
the project. ...
Nut graph
One or more brief paragraphs that summaries the news value of the
story, sometimes bullet-pointed and/or set off in a box. The various
spellings are contractions of the expression nutshell paragraph. Nut
graphs are used particularly in feature stories.
Inverted pyramid structure

Journalists usually describe the organization or structure of a news
story as an inverted pyramid.
The essential and most
interesting elements of a story
are put at the beginning, with
supporting information
following in order of
diminishing importance.
This structure enables
readers to stop reading at any
point and still come away with
the essence of a story. It
allows people to explore a
topic to only the depth that
their curiosity takes them, and
without the imposition of details or nuances that they could consider
irrelevant, but still making that information available to more interested
readers.
The inverted pyramid structure also enables articles to be trimmed
to any arbitrary length during layout, to fit in the space available.
Writers are often admonished “Don’t bury the lead!” to ensure that
they present the most important facts first, rather than requiring the
reader to go through several paragraphs to find them.
Some writers start their stories with the “1-2-3 lead”, yet there are
many kinds of lead available. This format invariably starts with a “Five
Ws” opening paragraph (as described above), followed by an indirect
quote that serves to support a major element of the first paragraph, and
then a direct quote to support the indirect quote.
Straight lead (or Summary lead)

A good lead incorporates the inverted pyramid style with the most
important facts first. It tells readers what they want to know in a creative
manner. If the reader only read the lead, he or she would have a solid
grasp of the story. The above accident report can be written in a straight
lead. Journalists often resort to summary leads pressed for time.
Two children at play were killed today when a sports car jumped
the curb outside Prospect Park and ran them down. Twelve in the
group were injured.
Police Chief J.W. Carmichael attributed the tragedy to reckless
driving. The driver, slightly injured, was . . .
Compared to news reports, magazines and newspaper features have
a great scope for varied leads which appeal to the reader. A capable
journalist can always use a variety of leads when situations permit. We
shall discuss different types of leads.
Punch lead; is a variation of summary lead. Here attention is attracted
by concentrating with a brief, to-the-point lead sentence and developing
details later in the story.
An attractive 35-year-old woman executive was arrested today on
charges of being the “queen” ruling a multi-million-dollar narcotics ring.
Unfolding a bizarre story, police said . . .
Cartridge lead; is another variation of summary lead. This lead is
brief and contains one single news incident, to be expanded later in the
story. Its impact makes it a lead to reserve for important stories.
President Kennedy was slain by an assassin today in a burst of

gunfire in downtown Dallas.
(UPI, Nov. 22, 1963)
Besides being a straight lead, this lead brings in action and colour,
and makes the lead on a spot story fast moving. Not always a lead has
to a straight lead. Despite its usefulness, the inverted pyramid lead is
not suitable or desirable for all news situations.
Descriptive lead
A descriptive lead describes how an event happened rather than
simply telling what the event is about.
BRIGHTON, England (UPI) — Mrs. Pamela Bransden slowly
counted five, snapped into a hypnotic trance, and gave birth to an eight-
pound baby. It was as easy as that.
Today she relaxed at her home here, delighted that she has become
Britain’s first self-hypnosis mother.
Eyewitness accounts can provide the background for writing lucid
descriptions which help the reader to visualize a news situation.
An ominous silence, broken only by the call of a faraway bird, hung
over the battle-scarred hills when suddenly an explosion followed by
the yells of charging troops smashed the stillness.
The loyalist offensive, launched to clear roving guerrillas . . .
Quotation lead
Quotes frequently are the essential documentation for a lead and
should be used immediately after a paraphrase that summarizes them.
Here paraphrasing the verbatim quotation permits the removal of
unnecessary words. But if a verbatim quotation itself is very important

or interesting, it can be the lead itself. This lead would add an element
of interest such as drama, pathos, humour, astonishment, or some other
factor that will reach out to the reader. The brief statement by U.S.
President Johnson in 1968 that he would not be a candidate for reelection
was widely used as a lead.
Here, however, is a quote lead that takes a lot of explaining.
“I was furious that that disreputable young man had the audacity to
sit in my antique rosewood chair.”
That’s how tiny, 82-year-old Louise Freeland today described her
brush with a gun-toting escaped convict whom she talked into
surrendering to Sheriff’s officers.
Here goes a report on the increase in juvenile crime:
“I’d like to jail parents themselves who are so lax their kids are
boosting the crime rate!”
This statement came from Juvenile Court Judge Warren Jones, in
releasing a report on the rapid rise in juvenile crime rate in this city.
When a fellow engineering student was murdered by John David in
his hostel room in a ragging rage, the lead for a follow-up story was a
Biblical quotation found on the door of the culprit.
“Peace unto those who enter here.”
These are the words seen on the door of John David’s room. The
irony is that David gave eternal peace to Navukarasu, a fresher.
When Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, most newspapers led

with the first words he spoke:
“A small step for man, but a giant leap for mankind.”
Question lead
Many editors dislike question lead on the basis that people read
newspapers to get answers, and not to be asked questions. But if the
question is provocative, it may be used as a lead.
What is the first thing that a woman buys when she is advised that
she won $2,50,000 in a jingle contest?
Mrs. Jane Roe, informed by XYZ Soaps that her entry took top
prize in the nationwide contest, said that she will buy a rhyming dictionary
that . . .
Personal lead
It involves the use of the first person singular in the lead. Normally
such a use is discouraged except for a columnist or such privileged
writers.
(By Reg Murphy, while editor of the Atlanta Constitution, after being
released by a kidnapper)
When the tall, heavy, garishly dressed stranger appeared at the door,
it was clear this was trouble.
He said, “I’m Lamont Woods,” in a Southern accent quickened by

exposure to speech patterns elsewhere.
I let him into my living room for a moment but hustled him out quickly
because of the anxiety within him. My wife, Virginia, stayed out of sight
but went to the window as we left and noted that he was driving a dark
green Ford Torino. She tried for the licence plate but couldn’t see it.
And so I went driving into the Wednesday dusk with a man we both
knew was trouble. Neither of us guessed then that it would amount to
49 hours of terror at the hands of a kidnapper telling a bizarre political
tale and demanding $7,00,000 ransom . . . .
‘You’ lead (or Direct Address lead)
The ‘You’ lead is intended to make a personal appeal to the reader

involved in a complicated situation. The second-person approach
reaches out to involve the reader and capture his/her attention. Here is
an example, fairly typical of a trend toward consumerism in the news:
WASHINGTON (UPI) — If you are one of 30 million Americans

working for a company with a private pension plan, Congress has given
you a new bill of rights. It is the Employment Retirement Income Security
Act and it promises that if you have worked long enough to earn a
pension, you will receive one at retirement age. Nothing — including
bankruptcy, plant closings, dismissal or resignation — can stand in the
way.
Let us look at one more example:
Ski fans, here’s your opportunity!
The recent storm deposited five inches of powder snow on Pleasure

Mountain and the public ski lift is being operated . . .
Contrast lead
To vary monotony, a saga can be split into two sentences — the
first of which refers to the humble beginning and the second to the
hero’s latest triumph. When Van Cliburn, the pianist, returned from a
musical triumph in Moscow, one reporter wrote:
Harvey Lavan (Van) Cilburn Jr. of Kilgore, Tex., came home from
Russia today with 17 pieces of luggage. They bespoke his triumph as
pianist in Moscow. He had three when he went over.
Here goes another example:
Richard Roe, who started 47 years ago as a $10-a-week janitor
for Consolidated Corporation, today took office as the firm’s
$2,63,000-a-year chairman and chief executive officer.
Delayed lead (or suspended interest lead)

A situation can be exploited in an interesting way so that an ordinary
item stands out. The reporter delves in several paragraphs to find out
what had happened. The reader must get the story by reading to the
end of the story.
Dwight David Eisenhower once said he would rather win the Medal
of Honour than be president. Dwight Harold Johnson — who was
named for Dwight Eisenhower — said once to a friend that “winning
the medal has changed my life so much I don’t know if I’ll ever get my
head straight again. But I know this. Nobody’s hero forever.”
Friday, April 30, in the drizzle of a Detroit dawn, Dwight Johnson
died but not as a hero. He died in the emergency room of a Detroit
hospital with three bullet wounds in his side and one in his head. He
was shot, according to police, by a store owner he had tried to rob.
Here goes another example:
Bill Turner, 8, received a red coaster wagon for Christmas and it led
to problems.
This morning, while leaving for school, he noticed that it was missing
from his front yard.
Two hours later his mother, Mrs. John Turner, received a call from
school officials asking why Bill was absent.
Shocked and fearing that his son was hurt, she called police, who
contacted hospitals and searched the banks of the Red River. They
prepared to drag the waters.
At that moment, they say a boy pulling a red wagon through a nearby
field.
Bill explained to his mother and police that a friend told him other
boys had taken the wagon to a field two miles from his house. He
planned to get it on his way to school.
The youngster said he went to the wrong field and lost track of time
because he was so intent on finding the wagon.
Blind identification lead

If the person concerned is not well known in the community, his/her
name is less important than other salient facts that identify the person.
eg. “a 80-year-old woman” instead of her name.
A police inspector’s son was attacked with a knife by some
miscreants on Mount Road this evening.
The victim Pratap Daniel, 20, has been admitted to a private hospital
and his condition is critical.
Anecdotal lead
The anecdotal lead is used when the anecdote is bright and applicable
and not too wasteful of space. It brings the reader quickly into a news
situation that might not attract his attention if it were routinely written.
Here is one that began a series on divorce in the U.S.
David and Kay Craig’s two-year-old marriage is a second one for

both and their story is one that is being repeated with increasing
frequency across the country.
Each was married for the first time at 18. David’s marriage lasted
through five years and two children. Kay’s first marriage ended in
divorce after a year and eight months.
The Craigs (not their real name) are among the 13 million Americans
who, according to the Census Bureau, at one time or another have
been through a divorce. More than four million Americans currently list
their marital status as divorced. The rate of divorces in this country has
been and still is steadily increasing.
Gag (or funny) lead

A journalist who writes a funny story put up the saddest face in a
newsroom. Journalistic homour requires the skilled and practice. Here
is how an AP reporter wrote when a woman broke her leg trying to
climb out of a locked London public toilet:
LONDON — What’s a lady do when trapped in a loo?
Literary allusion lead

Parallelling the construction of a nursery rhyme or part of a well-
known literary creation can add to variety.
Mary had a little camera, and everywhere that Mary went the camera
was sure to go.
Mary Richards’ perseverance in carrying her camera on every trip
with her anthropologist husband has resulted in the publication of her
first book, a collection of photographs of natives in seldom-visited areas
of South America.
What Are Feature Stories

Ask most people what a feature story is, and they’ll say something
soft and puffy, written for the arts or fashion section of the newspaper
or website.
But in fact, features can be about any subject, from the fluffiest lifestyle
piece to the toughest investigative report.
And features aren’t just found in the back pages of the paper, the
ones that focus on things like home decor and music reviews. In fact,
features are found in every section of the paper, from news to business
to sports.
So we know what features aren’t; but what are they?
Feature stories aren’t defined so much by subject matter as they are
by the style in which they are written. In other words, anything written
in a feature-oriented way is a feature story.
These are the characteristics that distinguish feature stories from
hard news:
The Lede
A feature lede doesn’t have to have the who, what, where, when
and why in the very first paragraph, the way a hard-news lede does.
Instead, a feature lede can use description or an anecdote to set up the
story. And a feature lede can run for several paragraphs instead of just
one.
Pace
Feature stories often employ a more leisurely pace than news stories.
Features take time to tell a story, instead of rushing through it the way
news stories often seem to do.
Length
Taking more time to tell a story means using more space, which is
why features are usually, though not always, longer than hard news
articles.
A Focus on the Human Element

If news stories tend to focus on events, then features tend to focus
more on people. Features are designed to bring the human element into
the picture, which is why many editors call features “people stories.”
So if a hard news story recounts how 1,000 people are being laid
off from a local factory, a feature story might focus on just one of those
workers, portraying their grief at losing their job.
Editorial
Definition: An article written for the op-ed section of the newspaper
in which an editor expresses an opinion about an important issue facing
the city, state or nation.
CHARACTERISTICS OF EDITORIAL WRITING

An editorial is an article that presents the
newspaper’s opinion on an issue. It reflects the
majority vote of the editorial board, the governing
body of the newspaper made up of editors and
business managers. It is usually unsigned. Much in
the same manner of a lawyer, editorial writers build
on an argument and try to persuade readers to
think the same way they do. Editorials are meant
to influence public opinion, promote critical
thinking, and sometimes cause people to take action on an issue. In

essence, an editorial is an opinionated news story.
Editorials have:
1. Introduction, body and conclusion like other news stories
2. An objective explanation of the issue, especially complex issues
3. A timely news angle
4. Opinions from the opposing viewpoint that refute directly the
same issues the writer addresses
5. The opinions of the writer delivered in a professional manner.
Good editorials engage issues, not personalities and refrain from
name-calling or other petty tactics of persuasion.
6. Alternative solutions to the problem or issue being criticized.
Anyone can gripe about a problem, but a good editorial should
take a pro-active approach to making the situation better by
using constructive criticism and giving solutions.
7. A solid and concise conclusion that powerfully summarizes the
writer’s opinion. Give it some punch.
Four Types of Editorials:

1. Explain or interpret: Editors often use these editorials to explain
the way the newspaper covered a sensitive or controversial subject.
School newspapers may explain new school rules or a particular
student-body effort like a food drive.
2. Criticize: These editorials constructively criticize actions, decisions
or situations while providing solutions to the problem identified.
Immediate purpose is to get readers to see the problem, not the
solution.
3. Persuade: Editorials of persuasion aim to immediately see the solution,

not the problem. From the first paragraph, readers will be encouraged
to take a specific, positive action. Political endorsements are good
examples of editorials of persuasion.
4. Praise: These editorials commend people and organizations for
something done well. They are not as common as the other three.
Writing an Editorial
1. Pick a significant topic that has a current news angle and would
interest readers.
2. Collect information and facts; include objective reporting; do
research
3. State your opinion briefly in the fashion of a thesis statement
4. Explain the issue objectively as a reporter would and tell why this
situation is important
5. Give opposing viewpoint first with its quotations and facts
6. Refute (reject) the other side and develop your case using facts,
details, figures, quotations. Pick apart the other side’s logic.
7. Concede a point of the opposition — they must have some good
points you can acknowledge that would make you look rational.
8. Repeat key phrases to reinforce an idea into the reader’s minds.
9. Give a realistic solution(s) to the problem that goes beyond common
knowledge. Encourage critical thinking and pro-active reaction.
10. Wrap it up in a concluding punch that restates your opening remark
(thesis statement).
11. Keep it to 500 words; make every work count; never use “I”
A Sample Structure
I. Lead with an Objective Explanation of the Issue/Controversy.

Include the five W’s and the H. (Members of Congress, in effort to
reduce the budget, are looking to cut funding from public television.
Hearings were held …)
Pull in facts and quotations from the sources which are relevant.
Additional research may be necessary.
II. Present Your Opposition First.

As the writer you disagree with these viewpoints. Identify the people
(specifically who oppose you. (Republicans feel that these cuts are
necessary; other cable stations can pick them; only the rich watch public
television.)
Use facts and quotations to state objectively their opinions.
Give a strong position of the opposition. You gain nothing in refuting
a weak position.
III. Directly Refute The Opposition’s Beliefs.

You can begin your article with transition. (Republicans believe public
televison is a “sandbox for the rich.” However, statistics show most
people who watch public television make less than $40,000 per year.)
Pull in other facts and quotations from people who support your
position.
Concede a valid point of the opposition which will make you appear
rational, one who has considered all the options (fiscal times are tough,
and we can cut some of the funding for the arts; however, …).
IV. Give Other, Original Reasons/Analogies

In defense of your position, give reasons from strong to strongest
order. (Taking money away from public television is robbing children
of their education …)
Use a literary or cultural allusion that lends to your credibility and
perceived intelligence (We should render unto Caesar that which belongs
to him …)
V. Conclude With Some Punch.

Give solutions to the problem or challenge the reader to be informed.
(Congress should look to where real wastes exist — perhaps in defense
and entitlements — to find ways to save money. Digging into public
television’s pocket hurts us all.)
A quotation can be effective, especially if from a respected source
A rhetorical question can be an effective concluder as well (If the
government doesn’t defend the interests of children, who will?)
Periodicals, Journals, Magazines

Q: What’s the difference between a periodical, a journal, and a
magazine? What difference does it make which one I use?
A: A “periodical” is any publication that comes out regularly or
occasionally (i.e. periodically, get it?). TV Guide, Sports Illustrated, The
Journal of Anthropological Research, The World Almanac, and the
phone book are all periodicals.
A “magazine” is a periodical with a popular focus, i.e. aimed at the
general public, and containing news, personal narratives, and opinion.
Articles are often written by professional writers with or without expertise
in the subject; they contain “secondary” discussion of events, usually

with little documentation (e.g. footnotes). Magazines use vocabulary
understandable to most people, and often have lots of eye-catching
illustrations. Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report,
and Psychology Today are magazines
A “journal” is a scholarly periodical aimed at specialists and
researchers. Articles are generally written by experts in the subject,
using more technical language. They contain original research,
conclusions based on data, footnotes or endnotes, and often an abstract
or bibliography. The Journal of Physical Chemistry, The Chaucer
Review, The Milbank Quarterly, and Labor History are examples of
journals.
It’s important to understand the differences between journals and
magazines. Magazines are not necessarily bad or low quality (nor are
journals necessarily high quality) — they simply aren’t designed to
support most upper-level academic research. This is because they don’t
document their sources of information, and they generally lack the depth
of scholarly journals.
The table below highlights the differences
Journals – Scholarly Magazines – Popular
Content Detailed report or original Secondary report or
research or experiment. discussion; may include
personal narrative, opinion,
anecdotes
Author Authors credentials are Author may or may not be
given; usually a scholar named; often a professio-
with subject expertise nal writer; may or may not
have subject expertise.
Journals – Scholarly Magazines – Popular

Audience Scholars, researchers, General public; the
and students interested non-specialist
Language Specialized terminology Vocabulary in general
or jargon of the field; usage; understandable to
requires prior knowledge most readers
Layout & Formal organization Informal organization:
Organization often begins with an eye-catching type and
abstract of the article; if formatting, usually
reporting experimental includes illustrations or
findings notes the photographs. May not
experiments purpose, intend to present an idea
methodology, and with supporting evidence
analysis of the results; a or come to a conclusion
conclusion, and a
bibliography; may
Bibliography Required. All quotes and Rare. Scanty, if any,
& facts can be verified. information about sour-
References ces.
Examples Developmental Harpers

Psychology JAMA: Newsweek
Journal of the People
American Medical Time
AssociationThe words Almost anything available
“journal” or “review” in a store or news stand.
often appear in the title
Reference
Hohenberg, John. The Professional Journalist. New Delhi: Oxford,
1978.
Writing for the AP: The Second AP Writing Handbook. The Associated
Press, New York, 1959, p. 4.
http://www.geneseo.edu/~bennett/EdWrite.htm
http://www.umflint.edu/library/faq/difference.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/nd/nirmaldasan/journalismonline/tol.html
Glossary
Banner, Headline, bleed, blooper, barker, byline, credit line,
dateline, deadline, gravure, gutter, handout, jumpline, nameplate,
masthead, letterpress, logotype, offset, op-ed, widow, tombstone,
tabloid, broadsheet, stringer, dummy, embargo, freelance,
lithography, linotype, ear, news agency, beat, breaking news, new
journalism, precision journalism, style book, yellow journalism.
Banner
A banner is a headline in large type running across the entire width
of the page.
Headline
The headline is the text at the top of a newspaper article, indicating
the nature of the article below it. The purpose of a headline is to quickly
and briefly draw attention to the story.
Bleed
Bleed is a printing term that refers to printing that goes beyond the
edge of the sheet after trimming. The bleed is the part on the side of a
document that gives the printer a small amount of space to account for
movement of the paper, and design inconsistencies. Bleed ensures that
no unprinted edges occur in the final trimmed document.
It is very difficult to print all the way to the edge of a sheet of paper/
card, to achieve this it is necessary to print a slightly larger area than is
needed and then trim the paper/card down to the required finished
size. Images, background images and fills which are intended to extend
Glossary 59
to the edge of the page must be extended beyond the trim line to give a
bleed.
Blooper
A Blooper is a clumsy or embarrassing mistake committed over
radio or print media. Nowadays, bloopers are included in movies, mainly
towards the end. They are usually deleted scenes, containing a mistake
committed by a member of the crew. This term was popularized in
1950s.
According to Wikipedia, another definition for blooper is
“Unintended indiscretions before microphone and camera.”
For more bloopers, please visit: www.funenglishmcc.com/
bloopers.html
Barker
A person who attempts to attract patrons to entertainment events,
such as a circus or funfair, by exhorting passing public,describing
attractions of show and emphasizing variety, novelty, beauty, or some
other feature believed to incite listeners to attend
entertainment.Professional barkers strongly dislike the term and instead
refer to themselves as “talkers.” A barker channel is a form of electronic
media known as digital signage. It is a TV channel that is entirely
composed of sales promotion and advertising, usually marketing various
features of the service carrying the channel.
Byline
The byline is a short phrase or paragraph that indicates the name of
the author of an article in books, magazines, newspapers, newsletters,
content Websites, blogs, or other publications. In some cases, bylines
may be used to give credit for photographs or illustrations. It also appears
between the headline and start of the article, prefaced by the word
“By” or “From” or other wording. The byline could also appear at the
end of the article, sometimes as part of a mini-bio of the author.
Creditline
A credit line in a newspaper is where reference is made to items
included in the article from another source, such as research material.
Acknowledging the source of a picture is an example for a credit line.
Dateline
Although it sounds like a date such as month day and year, the
dateline is actually in the first line of an article and is the location where
the reporter is writing from.
For example: “New Delhi - A woman gave birth to eight babies
today.”
In this example, the “dateline” is New Delhi. Datelines are most
often written in all capitals.
Deadline
The time by which a news report must be submitted. Deadlines are
common in print, broadcast and online journalism, and are necessary
for the smooth functioning of the news operation.
Glossary 61
Examples:
The plane crash happened just an hour before deadline, but she still
managed to get her story in on time.
Gravure
Gravure is a printing method in which an image is applied to a printing
substrate by use of a metal plate mounted on a cylinder. Unlike other
processes, gravure uses a depressed or sunken surface for the desired
image. The image to be reproduced is etched into the metal plate,
sometimes with the use of a laser . The metal plate is bathed in ink
during the process and then wiped clean before application to the
substrate. While gravure printing can produce high-quality results rapidly,
the costs are significantly higher than other printing methods, including
flexography or various forms of digital printing .
Gutter journalism
Gutter journalism or Yellow
journalism, is a type of
journalism that presents little or
no legitimate well-researched
news and instead uses eye-
catching headlines to sell more
newspapers.Techniques may
include exaggerations of news
events, scandal-mongering, or
sensationalism. By extension, the term yellow journalism is used today
as a pejorative to decry any journalism that treats news in an
unprofessional or unethical fashion.
Handouts
A handout is a document which contains news or information about
something and which is given, for example, to journalists or members
of the public.
Jumpline
A line of type identifying the page on or from which a newspaper
story is continued.
Nameplate
A nameplate identifies and displays a person or product’s name.
Name plates are usually shaped as rectangles. The primary use of name
plates is for informative,as in an office environment, where name plates
are mounted on doors or walls in order to identify employees.
Masthead
The masthead which is also referred to as an imprint is a list, published
in a newspaper or magazine, of its staff. In some publications it names
only the most senior individuals; in others, it may name many or all.
Some mastheads also include information such as the publications’
founding date, slogan, logo and contact information. In newspapers the
masthead typically appears on the editorial page; in magazines it is
frequently found elsewhere, often in the first few pages of the publication.
Letterpress
Letterpress printing is relief printing of text and image using a press
with a “type-high bed” printing press and movable type, in which a
reversed, raised surface is inked and then pressed into a sheet of paper
to obtain a positive right-reading image. It was the normal form of
Glossary 63
printing text from its invention by

Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-15th
century. In addition to the direct
impression of inked movable type onto
paper or another receptive surface,
letterpress is also the direct impression
of inked printmaking blocks such as
photo-etched zinc “cuts” (plates),
linoleum blocks, wood engravings, etc.,
using such a press.
Logotype
A logotype is an artistic symbol that uniquely represents an
organization. Examples of organizations that use logotypes include
businesses, sports teams, political parties, or even entire cultures and
religions. The sample must be relevant to the theme of the organization.
Logotypes have gained increased popularity since the advent of the
Internet.
Offset
Offset printing is a commonly used printing
technique in which the inked image is
transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket,
then to the printing surface.
Op-ed
An op-ed, abbreviated from opposite the editorial page,though often
mistaken for opinion-editorial, is a newspaper article that expresses
the opinions of a named writer who is usually unaffiliated with the
newspaper’s editorial board. These are different from editorials, which
are usually unsigned and written by editorial board members.
Tombstone
Tomb-stoning is when you are making your page and two different
headlines for two
different articles
line up. For
example, if your
one article’s
headline starts at
the top left of
your page and is
one inch thick and the headline for your second article lines up exactly
with the first article headline, that is tombstoning. The term “tombstoning”
comes from the idea of a graveyard where all the tombstones line up
and match. In journalism, tombstoning your headline is not attractive to
the eye of the reader so therefore possible solutions include : making
one head 1 inch, making the second 1/2 and inch... making one headline
2 lines long, the other just on line.. putting one headline at the top of
your page and running your article horizontally not vertically and start
your second article further down the page.
Glossary 65
Tabloid
Tabloid journalism tends to
emphasize topics such as
sensational crime stories,
astrology, gossip columns
about the personal lives of
celebrities and sports stars,
and junk food news. Such
journalism is commonly
associated with tabloid sized
newspapers like the National Enquirer, Globe or the Daily Mail and the
former News of the World. Not all newspapers associated with such
journalism are in tabloid size, for example, the format of Apple Daily is
broadsheet while the style is tabloid. The terms “tabloids”, “supermarket
tabloids”, “gutter press”, and “rag”, refer to the journalistic approach
of such newspapers rather than their size.
Broadsheet
Broadsheet is the largest of the various
newspaper formats and is characterized by
long vertical pages (typically 22 inches / 559
millimetres or more). The term derives from
types of popular prints usually just of a single
sheet, sold on the streets and containing
various types of material, from ballads to
political satire. The first broadsheet newspaper
was the Dutch Courante uyt Italien,
Duytslandt, & c. published in 1618.
Stringer
A Stringer is a photographer or journalist who contributes reports
or photos to a news organization on an ongoing basis but is paid
individually for each piece of published or broadcast work. Stringers
are generally freelancers and do not receive a regular salary. However,
stringers often have an ongoing relationship with one or more news
organizations, to which they provide content on particular topics or
locations when the opportunities arise. The term is typically confined to
journalism. Nowadays they are also known as correspondents or
contributors. Often they do not receive any public recognition for the
work they have contributed.
Dummy
A preliminary layout of a newspaper page, showing the placement
of stories, headlines, pictures and advertisements.
Embargo
An embargo is put into place when a story is sent to broadcast
media, publications, or radio before the story is set to be released. An
embargo is an agreement of sorts that allows the press to get the story
in advance but not publish it until a specified time.
Freelance
Freelance is a working arrangement when a person sells their services
to individual buyers with whom they are not employed.
An example of freelance is someone writing songs for many
different musicians.
Freelance journalists can be reporters on contract who write on a
regular basis to columnists, radio moderators and occasional contributors
to publications and broadcast programmes.
Glossary 67
Lithography
Lithography refers to a
method of printing whereby the
image areas, which are neither
raised nor depressed, attract ink
and the non-image areas repel
ink. Most lithography is offset
lithography in which the image is
transferred from the plate to a
rubber blanket, and then printed (offset) from the blanket onto the paper.
The process of lithography was discovered by Alois Senefelder who
wanted to find a less costly method of reproducing copies of his plays.
Linotype
A kind of typesetting machine which produces castings, each of
which corresponds to a line of separate types. By pressing upon keys
like those of a typewriter the matrices for one line are properly arranged;
the stereotype, or slug, is then cast and planed, and the matrices are
returned to their proper places, the whole process being automatic.
Original photo (Image:Linotype-

vorne-deutsches-museum.jpg by
Clemens PFEIFFER, Vienna.
Annotations by Paul Koning
News Agency
A news agency gathers, writes and distributes news from around
the world to other newspapers, periodicals, radio and television. It is in
effect an agency that supplies news to its subscribers who will otherwise
have to spend a lot of money to gather and collect information.
Beat
A beat is a particular topic or subject area that a reporter covers.
Many news organizations assign journalists to cover specific areas, either
geographic or topical, known as “beats.” This term was originally used
to describe a regular route for a sentry or policeman. Journalists get to
know the territory and people who make up their beat, and in many
cases they have to learn specialized vocabulary in order to understand
their sources.
Eg. He covers the Business beat for Malayala Manorama
(It means he covers topics related to Business like capital, asset,
pink slip, unemployment, personal savings, investment, employers,
workers, construction, and property sales etc]
Breaking News
Breaking news refers to events that are currently developing, or
“breaking.” Breaking news usually refers to events that are unexpected,
such as a plane crash or building fire. Breaking news can also refer to
news that occurs late in the day, close to a newspaper’s usual deadline.
Most of the TV news channels have runners that highlight ‘breaking
news’ events. In the modern world, social media is transforming the
way journalists break news. As events happen citizen journalists record
Glossary 69
live pictures via cell phones and upload them on the Internet. Thus
‘breaking news’ happens almost simultaneously.
New Journalism
This was a style of journalism that originated in the 1960s in USA.
New journalism used techniques borrowed from fiction to portray a
situation or event as vividly as possible. The term was codified with its
current meaning by Tom Wolfe in a 1973 collection of journalism articles
he published as The New Journalism, which included works by himself,
Truman Capote, Hunter S. Thompson, Norman Mailer and others.
Articles in the New Journalism style were not generally found in
newspapers, but rather in magazines such as The Atlantic Monthly,
Harper’s, CoEvolution Quarterly, Esquire. By the eighties, the use
of New Journalism style began to decrease.
Precision Journalism
The application of social and behavioural science research methods
to the practice of journalism is termed as Precision journalism. It is
applying social science research methods to the problems of news
gathering in an increasingly complex society. With intent to make
inferences, comparison between phenomena or variables.
Precision journalism is the application of science information finding
methods to obtain information from sources with a view to disseminating
accurate, error-free information to the public in an easy and
understandable manner.
The tools of sampling, computer analysis and statistical inference
increased the traditional power of the reporter without changing the
nature of the mission to find the facts, to understand them, and to explain
them without wasting time.
The term “precision journalism,” and the central idea behind it, were
popularized by the 1973 book of the same name written by Knight-
Ridder reporter Philip Meyer.
Style Book
The content of newspapers and other mass media is typically the
result of many different writers and editors working together. A Style
Book provides consistent guidelines in terms of grammar, spelling,
punctuation, numerals and language usage. The AP Stylebook is
generally known as the Bible of print journalism.
Examples are given below:
Numbers
One through nine are generally spelled out, while 10 and above are
generally written as numerals.
Example: He bought three books for 300
Percentages
Percentages are always expressed as numerals, followed by the
word “percent.”
Example: The price of petrol rose 5 percent.
Ages
Ages are always expressed as numerals.
Example: She is 15 years old.
Glossary 71
Dates
Dates are expressed as numerals. The months August through
February are abbreviated when used with numbered dates. March
through July are never abbreviated. Months without dates are not
abbreviated. “Th” is not used.
Example: The meeting is on Oct. 15. She was born on July 12. I
love the weather in November.
Yellow Journalism
With the onset of rapid industrialization in the late 19th century,
machines began to produce more than thousand copies in a single night
This lead to increase of newspaper sale and greater thirst for sensational
news.
Yellow journalism involved sensationalism, distorted stories, and
misleading images for the sole purpose of boosting newspaper sales
and exciting public opinion. It was particularly indicative of two papers
founded and popularized in the late 19th century- The New York World,
run by Joseph Pulitzer and The New York Journal, run by William
Randolph Hearst.
The term yellow
journalism came from a
popular New York World
comic called “Hogan’s
Alley,” which featured a
yellow-dressed
character named the “the
yellow kid.” Determined
to compete with Joseph
Pulitzer’s New York
World in every way, rival New York Journal owner William Randolph
Hearst copied Pulitzer’s sensationalist style and even hired “Hogan’s
Alley” artist R.F. Outcault away from the World. In response, Pulitzer
commissioned another cartoonist to create a second yellow kid. Soon,
the sensationalist press of the 1890s became a competition between
the “yellow kids,” and the journalistic style was coined “yellow
journalism.”
Acknowledgements
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headline
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blooper
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stringer_(journalism)
http://www.jsprinting.com/glossary/
http://publicrelationsblogger.com/2009/03/what-is-embargo-definition-
and-overview_29.html
http://www.yourdictionary.com/freelance
http://barbadosjournalists.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/baj-concerned-
about-registration-requirement-for-freelance-journalists/
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BIBt82AKC6g/TKp3alunJVI/
AAAAAAAADug/jRQfuj4kvpg/s1600/offset2.jpg
http://www.lexic.us/definition-of/Linotype
http://www.au.af.mil/pace/handbooks/journalism-specialized-
journalism.pdf
http://journalism.about.com/od/journalismglossary/g/breakingnews.htm
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-social-media-helps-
journalists-break-news/
Glossary 73
http://www.ask.com/wiki/New_Journalism
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_precision_journalism
http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g
9781405131995_yr2012_chunk_g978140513199521_ss96-1
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111500/spanamer/yellow.htm
http://www.pbs.org/crucible/frames/_journalism.html
http://journalism.about.com/od/writing/a/apstyle.htm
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/735/02/
eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2238044_create-artistic-
logotype. html#ixzz21Q3F4EJn
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111500/spanamer/media/images/photos/
kid.jpg
Model Question Paper
FIFTH SEMESTER B.A. DEGREE EXAMINATION,

NOVEMBER 2011
(CCSS)
Functional English - Core Course
FESB08-MEDIA STUDIES-1 (Print Media)
Time: Three Hours Maximum: 30 Weightage
1. Fill in the blanks choosing the correct answer:

(a) 1 The elements of communication are also called
of communication.
(basics, fundamentals, universals)
2 Encoding is the act of a message
(sending, producing, receiving)
3 Communication by many persons in a face to face situation is
communication.
(group, interactive, interpersonal)
4 is defined as a way people approach others of keep
distance from others.
(Proxemics, proximity, Polemics)
(b) 5 give detailed information about a product/
institution.
(Newsletters, Brochures, Postures)
6 At the time of Independence, the AIR network had only
stations.
(Five, six, eight)
Model Question Paper 75
7 NRS stands for

(National Readership Survey, National Radio Service,
National Radio Station)
8 Doordarshan switched over to colour transmission is
15 August
(1971, 1982, 1985)
(c) 9 A receiver in conception is the receiving telephone
instrument.
(Shannon's, Plato's Arstotle's)
10 S is SMCR stands for
(Source, Sender, Speed)
11 The Associated Press is a/an based agency.
(Russian, Indian, American)
12 RTI Stands for .
(Right to Instruction, Right to Information, Right to
Investigation)
(12 x 1/4 = 3 weightage)
II Answer any nine of the following in two or three sentences:
13 Feed back.
14 The personal stage in interpersonal communication.
15 Universal access
16 Newsletters.
17 Future of radio.
18 New Media.
19 Blog.
20 Inverted pyramid.
21 Selective retention.
22 Authoritarian media theory
23 UPI.
24 Corporate censorship
(9 x 1 = 9 weightage)
III. Write short note in not more than 100 words each, on any seven of
the following:
25 Characteristics of a true newspaper.
26 Doordarshan.
27 Lasswell's model of communication.
28 The MacBride Commission Report.
29 Freedom of Press
30 Laws of Libel.
31 Indian Emergency
32 Code of Ethics.
33 Types of Communication.
34 Non-verbal communication.
(7 x 2 = 14 wightage)
IV. Answer any one of the following in about 300 words:
35 Mass Media
36 Models of communication.
(1 x 4 = 4 weightage)

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Media Studies - I

Cover: Orange, Clt

Typesetting: Navadham, Clt-2

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

As per syllabus of University of Calicut for

POORNA PUBLICATIONS, KOZHIKODE

Prof. Premanand M E, Associate Professor, has been associated

Module III: Journalistic Writing: Definition—Journalistic writing Vs

Module IV: Newspaper Production (Practical oriented)

Core Books: Mencher, Melvin. Basic News Writing.Dubaque: William

Note: Questions from Glossary should be selected from the

Definition for Communication

Let’s discuss each element.

The channel is the path of the communication from sender to receiver.

Aristotle’s Communication Model

Aristotle Model of Communication is formed with 5 basic elements

SMCR stands for:

Source : Creator of the message or from whom the message is

Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication

model was developed to improve the Technical communication. Later

various concepts like Information source, transmitter, Noise, channel,

Noise: The messages are transferred from encoder to decoder

(Practical Example of Shannon-Weaver model of communication :

Encoder : Telephone (Thomson)

*Noise : Distraction in voice

Reception : Telephone (Assistant)

Due to transmission error or noise, Assistant wasn’t able to

* The noise affects the communication flow between them.

Criticism of Shannon-Weaver model of communication:

Harold Dwight Lasswell, the American political scientist states that

Who – TEPC Operator

Advantage of Lasswell model:

Disadvantage of Lasswell model:

which this kind of communication takes place are referred to as mass

Special thanks to:

Functions of Mass Communication

Additionally it also educates and

Journalists are not just ‘reporters’

of things that are advertised through mass media is endless. Different

incorporated into entertainment and news, to give viewers a chance to

Definition—Journalistic writing Vs Creative Writing Print

The Difference between Creative Writing and Journalism

In Journalism, one is taught the five

The Two Differences

verbs and articles removed (e.g. “Remains at Colorado camp linked to

Subhead (or dek or deck)

Lead (or lede) or intro

Charnley, states that “an effective lead is a ‘brief, sharp statement of

To “bury the lead” in news style refers to beginning a description

Example lead-and-summary design

Example soft-lead design

Inverted pyramid structure

Straight lead (or Summary lead)

President Kennedy was slain by an assassin today in a burst of

unnecessary words. But if a verbatim quotation itself is very important

When Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, most newspapers led

“A small step for man, but a giant leap for mankind.”

He said, “I’m Lamont Woods,” in a Southern accent quickened by

‘You’ lead (or Direct Address lead)

The ‘You’ lead is intended to make a personal appeal to the reader