Introduction to Journalism

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction- the aim of this course is to let you understand the basics of journalism.
Specifically, in this chapter you will learn what journalism is, the whole concept of
journalism including its elements, purpose and the history of both print and broadcast media.

What is Journalism?

It is sometimes suggested that any communication of information or the relaying of ‘real’

events is journalism. This is certainly wrong. For example, the broadcasting of proceedings in
Parliament, unvarnished and unadorned by any form of editing or commentary, is not
journalism – it is merely the relaying of an event. The publication or broadcasting of football
results is not journalism, it is merely information. Journalism involves the sifting and editing
of information, comments and events into a form that is recognizably different from the pure
form in which they first occurred. Journalism is about putting events, ideas, information and
controversies into context. It is about selection and presentation. Above all, perhaps, it is
about the assessment of the validity, truthfulness or representativeness of actions or
comments. News is a noun clearly linked with journalism – and therefore a good starting
point for analyzing the whole concept of journalism.

Journalism covers a huge range of output across all media and is recognizable as a form of
communication in almost every country of the world. It is estimated that 80 per cent of adults
in Britain read at least one national newspaper regularly and 75 per cent read a Sunday
newspaper (McNair, 1999: 19). Most people rely on journalism for surveillance – to inform
them about what is going on in the world.
Clearly very few have direct experience of events and, just as importantly, they need to know
what has not happened – if, when they wake and hear the breakfast time bulletin leading on a
relatively ‘unexciting’ story, they can be satisfied that ‘nothing much’ has happened
overnight. Journalism also has an important influence in their views and attitudes.
Most people cite television as their most important source of news (ibid.) even if, as we have
seen, audiences for the main TV news programs have apparently declined in recent years.
Radio remains an important source of news for most people, with almost all stations carrying
a regular news service, and has a unique strength as well as some limitations as a news
media. Then, of course, there are hundreds of local and regional newspapers, periodicals of
all kinds and, increasingly important, online/Internet services (Peaand Fisher, 2002).

Basic Concepts of Journalism

What kind of people are journalists?

The most detailed survey into the make-up and background of journalists in the UK was
carried out by Delano and Henningham (1995). It showed that journalism is predominantly
practiced by white people, mostly (75 per cent) male, on average in their young middle age or
late youth (mid to late 30s, but females being significantly younger on average than males).
The figures supplied by the NUJ indicate that since this survey broadcasting in particular has
seen a sharp rise in the proportion of females. About two-thirds of all journalists were
married and just under half were brought up in the Church of England. Further analysis by
the authors into the background, attitudes and motivations of British journalists (Henningham
and Delano, 1998: 145) indicated that nearly one-quarter had decided they wanted to pursue a
career in journalism by the age of 14 and fully two-thirds by 19. The largest proportion – 23
per cent – became journalists because of their writing skills. This is emphasized by the choice
of the increasing numbers of journalists who are graduates: 48 per cent of journalists’ degrees
were in the arts, science was the discipline of just 5 per cent and commerce/business only 3
per cent (ibid: 149). Only 14 per cent said they had an ‘intrinsic interest’ in news and current
affairs and just 2 per cent were motivated by a desire to influence public life.
A clear majority intended voting Labor at the next election, only 6 per cent being
Conservative voters. This presents an interesting variance between the political allegiance of
the national press at that time and that of the journalists. Clearly not every journalist at that
time believed everything they wrote! This statistic also gives credence to complaints by the
Conservative Party that most journalists are unsympathetic to their views. The gap between
Labor- and Conservative-supporting journalists is likely to have widened still further since
then, if it has followed the change in general public support for those parties.
Furthermore, this may have implications not just for reporting of party politics as such but for
the overall attitudes and sets of assumptions made by journalists. The journalists generally
took liberal positions on a range of social, economic and moral issues (ibid: 151). The reason
for this is probably not so much that journalists become ‘corrupted’ by being in the
journalistic trade but more that journalism disproportionately attracts those who are
suspicious of the establishment, are more likely to be personalities who question the ‘status
quo’ and may be hostile to those holding and controlling wealth, as well as being more
‘relaxed’ than most in the population about moral/social issues. As we shall see in the section
on the history of the press this is not a new phenomenon: political radicalism and
constitutional change has been linked with the development of journalism.
Nearly 70 per cent of journalists in the 1995 survey had attended university or college – far
more than the national average – and the proportion of graduates has increased still further
since then. Journalism is now overwhelmingly a graduate profession: a huge change on the
position 20 years earlier when Richard Rudin began his career!
The Delano and Henningham survey indicated that almost all journalists felt their job entailed
delivering information to the public as quickly as possible; nearly 90 per cent put a high value
on scrutinizing government claims and statements and almost as many in providing analysis
and interpretation of complex problems. Over half thought it important to give ‘ordinary
people’ a chance to express views on public affairs and almost half thought the provision of
entertainment was an important part of their function.
Heroes or villains?
The image of the journalist – like others in the public eye such as doctors and police officers
– has varied widely through different periods of time and amongst different sectors of the
population. Many people seem to hold contradictory views about journalists: applauded when
they uncover wrongdoing, fighting bureaucracy and tackle powerful, corrupt figures on
behalf of the ‘common person’ – often putting themselves at risk of physical harm or
harassment by the authorities; derided and condemned when they appear to have grossly
invaded people’s privacy or been rude, aggressive or devious.
The question of trust seems crucial here: if the public don’t believe what they read, see and
hear from the journalistic media, then the whole basis of journalism would seem to be
undermined. As it will be argued in other chapters in this book, for journalists’ credibility is
everything. Yet a Pan-European survey by the TV Strategy Group reported in the Press
Gazette (20 November 1998) showed that journalists had the lowest ‘trust rating’, not only
over Europe but also when compared with audiences and readers in the USA. Of the different
sectors, magazine journalists came off worst – only 28 per cent of readers said they believed
or partially believed news reported in magazines. Across Europe radio was shown to be the
most trusted medium.
Not surprisingly this survey, which reinforced others in the same vein (the same article also
quoted a British Social Attitude Survey that found just 15 per cent of national newspaper
readers trusted journalists in this sector to pursue the truth above getting a good story),
offended many UK journalists. The Guardian’s editor
Alan Rusbridger listed a whole range of cases in which journalists had played a positive, even
heroic, role in exposing government propaganda and secrecy over vital issues of public
interest, political sleaze, cover-ups and corruption in industry and public services, and in
publishing miscarriages of justice – resulting in the release of those who had been wrongfully
convicted. Not surprisingly Rusbridger was hurt and a little peeved by such surveys. He told
the Guild of Editors ‘If you had any official agency like that, they would be heroes. It would
be a hailed and respected organization. And yet we in the press are unhealed, unrespected,
untrusted’ (Reeves, 1998).
The heroic status of journalists was enhanced by the reporting of the war in Afghanistan from
October 2001. Correspondents from the western media endured great hardship as well as
enormous danger – seven western journalists were killed in the first few weeks of the war –
to bring the story to their readers and audiences.
The value of independent journalism was easily recognized at a time when the western allies
– chiefly the USA and UK – and the Taliban regime were making contradictory claims about
the conduct and effects of the conflict. The reporting seemed to have had an effect on the
development of the war itself – the BBC’s World Affairs Editor John Simpson even claimed
that the BBC had liberated Kabul! (A few days later though he explained that what he had
meant to say was that the population heard of their liberation first from the BBC (BBC,
2001). The use of
new technology, especially the satellite videophone, which enabled ‘live’ pictures and reports
to be broadcast, was a significant factor in the reporting.
There can be no doubt that those in government and other powerful institutions believe
journalism has a powerful – perhaps crucial – influence on society, on attitudes, values and
loyalties. The phenomenon of ‘spin doctors’ testifies that politicians believe that seizing the
news agenda – what gets reported and what does not, as well as the way those stories are
reported – is a vital job of government.
Journalists are often criticized for becoming too closely involved with their subjects, of
becoming part of the establishment, even involved in a conspiracy with the various elites in
society – politicians, celebrities of all kinds, business leaders, Royalty, etc. One claim close
to most journalists’ hearts is that they are distinct from other groups in that they retain their
independence, distance and detachment.
Although they may have to strike ‘deals’ with (often) highly paid, highly influential, insistent
and even bullying PR types, agents and the rest of the ‘cast of characters’, journalists should
always remember they are working for their audience.

Nine Elements of Journalism

There are nine elements of journalism, according to veteran journalists Bill Kovach and Tom
Rosenstein:
1. Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth.
2. Its first loyalty is to citizens
3. Its essence is a discipline of verification.
4. Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover.
5. It must serve as an independent monitor of power.
6. It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise.
7. It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant.
8. It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional.
9. Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience.
What is news?
The usual definition of news is something that is ‘new, interesting and true’. But that
definition is not sufficient to categorize journalism and becomes progressively more
problematic. New is the least difficult; there is unlikely to be an argument over whether
something has just or recently happened.
Interesting is a little bit more difficult because the obvious question arises ‘interesting to
whom?’. Our interest in a story is likely to be determined partly by where we live and by our
economic and social position. Nevertheless, there will probably be broad agreement about
some stories. For example, it is unlikely that anyone would seriously argue that the fact that
hundreds of jumbo jets took off, flew and landed without incident is not news, whereas a
jumbo jet that crashes with the loss of hundreds of lives lost is news.
Even so, why is it that only a tiny fraction of the billions of events that happen in the world
each day that might pass the basic criteria – and would certainly be ‘new’ and ‘interesting’ to
at least the direct participants in the ‘story’ – do not make it into even the local media, with
even fewer making it to national and international news media? Academics Galtung and
Ruge (van Ginneken, 1998: 28–29) have suggested there are 11 factors that influence whether
an event is regarded as news and, if so, what importance is given to it (Figure 1.2).
But what is true? As anyone who has been involved either as a participant or professional in a
road traffic accident knows, almost everyone involved in has a different perspective and
account of what happened. Presuming they are not lying – saying something they know to be
untrue – we can see that all their accounts are ‘true’ and yet all different. The job of the
journalist is to assess those different accounts and to try to find a coherent, concise and
objective account of what happened. This, of course, presumes that the journalist has no bias
or direct involvement in the story or its participants or for any other.

News includes the following criteria.

1. Frequency when the event happened related to the frequency of publication.

2. Threshold the event must be of a certain size – two people killed in a road
accident would be less newsworthy than the deaths of 12.
3. Clarity it must be clear and easy to understand what happened.
4. Meaningful it must relate to the culture of the society in which it is reported.
5. Consonance perhaps surprisingly, if the news is predictable and even expected it has more
chance of being included in journalistic media.
6. Unexpected and rare.
7. Continuity once it is news it will continue to be news.
8. Composition news overall is balanced so that there is a range of stories to interest
the consumer depending on the readership or audience profile and
particularly on the demands of advertisers.
9. Concentration on elite nations and individuals (the most obvious example being the
President of the USA who clearly fits both categories).
10. Person-centered sometimes called human interest.
11. Negativity bad news is ‘better’ than good.
The Basic Components of a News Story
All well-written new stories have most of the parts listed below. Competent journalists know
how to write each of these components into a cohesive whole.
Most basic news stories should have:
The Headline. The headline is seldom more than a one or two-line summary of the contents
of the news story, in larger type, that tells readers what the story is about and whether (for a
particular reader) it is worth reading. Headlines have a telegraphic style and, because they
must fit a particular and very limited space that is usually not known at the time the news
story is being written, they are not usually written by the reporter. Headlines act as an index
of the contents of the newspaper, and a summary of the information in its stories.
The Lead. The lead is usually defined as the first sentence of a news story, sometimes as the
first few sentences. If news stories have a beginning, a middle and an end, the lead is the
beginning. The lead on a hard news story is often called a summary lead. Lots of journalists
have their own definition of the ideal lead. Virtually all agree that a good hardnews lead
should contain the most important facts of the story — at least some of the Five Ws. Most
agree that the ideal lead is short — no more than 25 or 30 words. Leads should be “tight” —
that is, written with economy. Leads need to be interesting — their job is to entice readers
into reading the rest of the story. A news story with a strong lead is more likely to be read.
The Backup Quote. Most news stories, except the briefest of briefs, should have a backup
quote placed soon after the lead. Ideally, the backup quote — attributed to someone with
knowledge of the story — will sum up the claim made in the lead in a pithy, comprehensible
and entertaining way. The problem from the reporter’s point of view, of course, is that he
must accurately transcribe a genuinely illustrative quote. Not every interview subject can or
will provide a good backup quote. A good backup quote pithily explains what’s going on and
keeps the reader reading.
Attribution. All hard news stories require attribution, and even the softest of news stories
require some. Attribution is the explanation of the source of the information in the news
story. It is also the identification of who made the statements contained in quotes or
paraphrases of quotes. Attribution allows the reader to judge for herself whether the facts set
out in the story have merit. The best stories contain lots of quotes — and all quotes have
attribution. A news story without attribution is worthless.
Reaction. Most hard news stories, and all news stories that contain controversial statements,
should have reaction — the comments of someone who is familiar with the situation written
about, or of someone with an alternative view of the main thesis of the story. If there has been
a natural disaster in Ruritania, reaction should be sought from the local Ruritanian
community. If your community’s MP, a member of the opposition, slams the government, a
representative of the government should have the opportunity to respond. Fairness requires
reaction.
The Nut Graph. A nut graph informs readers of the focus of the story. It is usually located in
the top third of the story — near the beginning of the middle — and it states the main point of
the story. Lots of news stories must deal with complex topics and a variety of ideas, but all
good stories should focus on one key theme. Not every story requires a nut graph — in a
short, hard news story, the lead will serve the same purpose as the nut graph. In a feature
story with a softer lead, a nut graph is essential to set out for the reader what is going on.
Background. Most stories need some background for the reader to understand what’s going
on. The history leading up to an event, the cast of characters, the value of the local currency,
the physical properties of water — all are examples of background. The more complicated
the story, the more pressing the need for background. Background helps explain the action.
The Ending. Notwithstanding the notion of the Inverted Pyramid story — which in theory
can be cut anywhere — the most elegantly written stories come to a clear conclusion that
somehow ties the story up with a neat little bow. Sometimes writers end a story with a
reference to future action that is expected. (“The trial continues Monday.”) Sometimes stories
end with a new quote that summarizes what has happened. Good endings often fall victim to
heavy-handed editing. Still, they are worth the effort: Good endings leave the reader with a
feeling of satisfaction.
Summary
- All well-written stories have a beginning middle and an end.
- The beginning is known as the “lead,” pronounced lede.
- Well-written news stories typically contain such components as attribution, reaction,
background and an entertaining summation.
- Many news stories — especially those with a soft lead — require a “nut graph” to sum up
the point of the story.
Source: https://cmna395.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/chapter_6_components.pdf Accessed
on August 7,2017
Influences on journalism
As well as the factors identified by Galtung and Ruge, there are many important –
Often decisive – influences that affect both process and product. Most scholars and
Commentators agree that the chief influences are:
Ownership and control. Most journalistic output is subject to the influence of the political,
economic and ideology of a relatively few powerful companies and organizations. Journalists
are likely to have their work ‘amended’ to fit in with these interests and, even if starting off
with high ideals, operate ‘self-censorship’ in order to gain promotion and favor with the
‘bosses’.
Financial: linked to the above. The amount of money devoted to journalism will at least in
capitalist enterprises – be limited in order to produce maximum profitability. Journalism is
still a relatively expensive, labor-intensive, operation. The need to produce a profit and/or
meet audience targets is clearly a major influence in the form and content of journalism
output.
Time, space and technology. All journalism has to be produced to an immovable deadline:
this inevitably means that work often has to be published or broadcast in a less than ‘perfect’
state and before facts and other material can be properly checked. Journalism has to be cut to
fit in with the space or time available. As we’ve seen in the Galtung and Ruge analysis there
is a concentration on elite nations and individuals. There is a practical as well as an
ideological reason for this – pictures and reports are more likely to be available from and
about rich industrialized countries, so a disaster in the USA, for example, is likely to receive
more coverage than one in, for example, a remote part of the Indian subcontinent partly
because there is more likely to be material available from the former. Television, in
particular, ‘needs’ moving pictures. Linked with these limitations are:
Bureaucratic and work routines. Journalists have to fit in with pre-ordained and usually
inflexible requirements of newsrooms. Copy, audio and pictures have to be ready for a set
time and in a set form and this requires fairly inflexible organization and procedures.
Journalism is about more than reporting ‘news’
One of the main claims about journalism is that it has an important watchdog role: journalists
are the eyes and ears of the public and help ensure that people, particularly those in public
life, are acting properly and honestly. Whereas few people will have the time or interest to
attend meetings of law courts, councils and other public bodies, the journalist’s presence at
such meetings ensures that business is conducted correctly and fairly. Furthermore, it is
claimed that it is the knowledge that journalists are present and will check on how decisions
are made that ‘encourages’ anyone who might be thinking of acting improperly to at least
think again. If we decide that journalism does not have to be all ‘serious’ or ‘hard’ news but
can also be light, entertaining and about relatively obscure matters – or at least those that are
of interest to only a small minority of people – then any definition must eschew defining
journalism simply as news. Otherwise, we have to ask: what are all those people laboring
away on magazines about small reptiles or particular types of antiques or indeed writing
gossip items about celebrities if they are not journalists involved in something called
journalism?
Nor should any definition be specific to any type or types of media: someone working on an
online service is as much a journalist as one working for a national newspaper, provided the
work meets our broad definition, which is described below.
1. Selecting, assessing and editing information.
2. Describing events, which are of legitimate public interest or which are entertaining/non-
serious, but are interesting to a defined audience.
3. Probing and testing claims and statements – especially those of authority figures (political,
social, economic elites).
4. Acting as a ‘watchdog’ for the public benefit and investigating issues of concern and
claims of wrong-doing that appear to be against the public interest.
5. Provide outlets for, and stimulating comment and opinion.
6. Presented in an engaging way and appropriate to the medium of transmission.
Note the ‘defined audience’. Journalism is all about producing a product – sometimes
discussed as commodification – and is a social construction, which is formed and limited by
the dominant ideology of a society: a set of views and ideas that are presumed to be ‘normal’
and ‘common sense’. As in the production of any item, those manufacturing and producing it
must know who is going to want that product. The audience – meant here to encompass
viewers, readers, listeners, Web surfers, etc. – may be large or small, in a small geographical
area or worldwide. But whatever the intended audience and whatever medium or media is
used, journalism is a disciplined process having the end result always in mind.
The bit about ‘interesting’ is important too – we’ve already seen the importance of this
adjective in relation to defining ‘news’ but it must be presented in such a way as to interest
the audience – whether that is football fans, eminent surgeons, antique lovers, etc. Failure to
recognize and meet this principle is the way to the bankruptcy court and the unemployment
line.

Types of journalism

Mainly there three forms of journalism known as the print journalism, the broadcast
journalism and the online journalism. The print journalism is the oldest of these forms.
The print journalism includes the materials which are produced in written forms such as
newspaper, magazines and other written materials. The broadcast journalism includes the
radio and television which came later to print, and then radio first invented then TV. The
third form of journalism is online journalism, which uses the internet form to display the
journalistic work newspapers, magazines and videos. The biggest companies of the world,
use by merging these forms of journalism for better profit and influence on their audience.
Though these are the biggest forms of journalism but within these there are different beats or
specializations of journalism.
Journalism is no longer restricted to the "breaking news" varieties. Get an in-depth look at
different types of journalism that form a part of our daily life through various media.
"In America the President reigns for four years, and Journalism governs for ever and
ever." - Oscar Wilde
A hot cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other; a typical morning in almost
every household! For people hungry for news, it is a must to begin the day with fresh and
latest information either in print or through the television. But who does the hard work behind
the leaves of your morning paper? It's the newshound, the wordsmith, the editor, and the team
of professionals who kick-start your morning every day!
Definition and Classification: Journalism refers to the news or feature stories (light,
entertainment stories) that are expressed either in a descriptive way or concise pattern
through different types of media.
A journalist reports news, which can be through print, television, radio, or even the Internet.
The main purpose of a journalist is to report news with accurate facts in an unbiased manner.
Over the decades, several types of journalism have developed that have given different
dimensions to the field of mass media. One method of classification is on the basis of their
specialization (beat), method of gathering information, and writing/reporting style.

On the bases Beats of journalism

Agricultural Journalism
This branch is growing at a fast pace in the past few years. With a handful of colleges
offering this course and many industries demanding it, this could be a hot option in the near
future! Most people are not fully aware of the prospects in this field and thus get deterred
from taking it up. However, it has a wide array of options in multiple fields. Careers in the
food and wine industry, environment welfare and conservation bodies, and resource
organizations are some commonly pursued options.

Arts Journalism
This beat is for all the art lovers. The focus is on various forms of art that includes literature,
film, dance, music, drama, and many more. Here, the journalist analyzes the developments
and trends of the art world and reports it to the audience. People, who have passion for art
always need regular inputs, which makes arts journalism, a fast-growing stream of the
industry.

Business Journalism
Here, the journalist has to cover business news from around the globe. This will include
launch of new products in the market, mergers & acquisitions of companies, economic ups
and downs, performance of companies, and so on. Well-researched analytical reports have to
be made when it comes to business. These reports gather dates of all the important events on
an international level; moreover, these reports have also exposed many business-related
scandals.

Celebrity Journalism
As the name goes; this genre is related to the life of celebrities from all fields. This includes
news regarding their personal as well as professional life. Reporting gossip is one of the
angles, which the readers love to read. Interviewing celebrities from various fields, like
music, sports, politics, arts, and films is also a part of this profession.

Civic Journalism
This branch of the industry makes use of the democratic right, i.e., freedom of speech. Here,
the citizens are involved in gathering news wherein they speak out their problems and give
opinions. This information is used by the journalists to create new stories and present it to the
world.
Community Journalism
Stories, news, and information specific to a certain town, vicinity, or area are sorted under
this category. Though many people do not take community news seriously, it has its fair
share of readership. In fact, community journalism is known to affect people in a much closer
way than national or world news. Featured stories are more or less lighthearted and
entertaining. Jokes, articles, and stories submitted by readers are also usually included in
these subscriptions.

Crime Journalism
This beat has always been popular from a long time. People are always eager to know about
crimes taking place, with all the possible and accurate details. Even though this is the most
amusing beat for journalists, it needs extensive investigation and networking to get all the
facts true. It consists of violence, revenge, greed, and major issues, like corruption, drugs, and
so on. A crime reporter should always have good contacts so that no incident is missed.

Culture Journalism
This branch gives journalists a chance to explore the cultural part of the society. Culture has
been an important medium for peace and understanding on international levels. This field is
all about creating an awareness of one's culture, background, and about the diverse groups in
which one stays. The focus is on various types of festivals, history, languages, art, and so on.

Cyber Journalism
This field is also known as online journalism. In simple words, this is a collaboration of most
other forms of journalism -- the only difference being the medium. Cyber and multimedia are
two closely related fields; they aim at extending the reach of the information to a global level,
while making the data appealing and engrossing.

Defense Journalism
As the term explains, this is all about what is happening with the country's military forces. It
also includes the latest updates on various defense equipment that have been introduced by
the Army, Navy, and the Air Force. Defense forces of a country play an important role in
maintaining international relations, so journalists need to gather a lot of information on the
same. These reports are also useful when there are violent situations. It makes the citizens
aware of the basics of national defense.

Education Journalism
This branch includes articles and reports on the developments taking place in the educational
sector. The audience mostly consists of researchers, teachers, and students. These reports
stand a lot more important for the policy makers. It focuses on spreading the importance of
education among people so that more number of children will take the step towards higher
education rather than those leading towards the factory doors.

Environmental Journalism
Many journalists prefer writing about environmental issues, related to its protection and
conservation. It is about the various changes in the environmental policies and events held by
organizations for various causes. Multiple environmental crises can be communicated in a
better way through this medium. This category is for the nature lovers, may be as a work or
cause!
Fashion Journalism
This field is for the people who have a stack of Cosmopolitan and Vogue under their pillow.
Their main job is to keep a track of the latest trends in the fashion world. Interviewing
models, designers and covering fashion shows are also a part of their work. Fashion is one of
the hot subjects of the journalism industry, as one can work for magazines, websites, and
fashion channels.

Financial Journalism
Financial journalism tops the list as the whole world revolves around numbers. It is related to
all the facts and figures of the financial changes taking place. It will include up-to-date news
of the stock markets, financial information of companies, changes in any financial rules and
regulations of any country, and so on.

Food Journalism
writing about food can be someone's passion. Moreover, people love to try new things,
especially when it comes to food. Food writing is not only about different recipes or reviews
of restaurants but it includes history and culture of various cuisines. This beat attracts a lot of
scope as many newspapers and magazines focus on these articles. Roaming all over the world
and trying all types of cuisines encourage a lot of "foody" journalists to select this beat.

Lifestyle Journalism
The world is evolving and people are interested in reading more about lifestyle. This beat has
been on a fast-track growth focusing on entertainment, music, leisure, shopping, home,
gardening, and so on. Lifestyle journalists study the stages of development of lifestyle,
economic influences on society, fashion, and trends. They provide readers with tips that can
help in changing their lifestyle with time.

Medical Journalism
Health and science-related subjects fall under this category. It plays a crucial role in
spreading awareness among professionals and general masses alike. Today, it is no longer
restricted to lengthy journals and has spread to daily and monthly subscriptions, such as
newspapers and magazines! Presented information needs to be accurate, thus rigorous and
extensive research is a must for every assignment.

Motoring Journalism
This is one beat that has been newly introduced in the subject of journalism. As a motoring
journalist, your job involves writing descriptive articles about latest updates in the automobile
field. If you are lucky, you might find yourself driving newly launched cars and bikes and
scribbling down their reviews! There is a lot of scope for this beat as many newspapers and
magazines keep a section for these articles. So if you are obsessed with bikes and cars, then
this is the field of choice for you.

Multimedia Journalism
This branch has evolved recently and is intended to make the information more interesting,
interactive, and appealing. Being relatively new, this style has no specific guidelines. Mostly
on the web, it primarily uses different images, videos, and other forms of media to enhance
the content. The idea is to make the information easily understandable, while increasing the
overall appeal of the page. An added advantage here is, a large amount of content can be
conveyed easily with the help of tables, links, or a simple slideshow.
News Journalism
This type is undoubtedly the widest and most well-known, where news journalists are
required to compile and report information with necessary facts and details. The key aspect
here is to ensure that the information is concise and direct while keeping the content intact.
This is one of the most influential means of reaching out to people. Thus, it is important that
the story is reported in an unbiased and objective manner.

Political Journalism
This branch covers subjects pertaining to political science. One needs to carefully study and
observe political figures, bodies, campaigns, events, and report the same in an impartial
fashion. Again, being objective is essential as political journalism is known to be
instrumental in effecting many a change. Though this is one of the most interactive and
interesting fields, political journalists are often criticized for being highly opinionated.

Scientific Journalism
As a science journalist, your goal is to report science-related information to a layman. This
requires basic understanding of the subject with a good level of writing skills. Journalists
need to ensure that the information is broken down into simple words without compromising
on its precision. Writers in this field mostly work on science journals, subscriptions, and
informative features. The numbers seem to be declining in the recent years, and today this
branch has only a few takers.

Sports Journalism
Like any beat journalism, this requires one to report information on the specific subject. This
includes covering a sports event, sportsperson, or an entire series. As a sports journalist, one
enjoys several added advantages. Not only do you have your own set of audience who follow
the sport, but you also get to be physically present at most of these events! For those
interested in broadcasting and media, and are passionate about sports, this could be a great
alternative.

Trade Journalism
This branch reports on different trade markets and analyzes the changes and developments.
The focus is on the commodity market as well as the financial market. A trade journalist
needs to have a good understanding about the economic cycles that affect the business and
trade of the world.

Travel Journalism
With a chance to roam all around the globe, this is truly a great career alternative! One must
truly enjoy traveling, and have a passion for experiencing different cultures to excel in this
field. Here, one is required to compile information regarding a particular destination. This
includes detailed description of the place -- its tourist attractions, accommodation facilities,
eateries, and other similar details.

Traffic Journalism
Mostly telecast via the radio or television, this branch pertains to road accidents and traffic
conditions. Though a very small sect, it is helpful in avoiding traffic problems by redirecting
people to alternative routes. However, with latest technological developments, traffic
journalists are declining by the day.
Video Game Journalism
With more and more people getting hooked to video games every day, this stream is fresh
and buzzing! It primarily comprises reviews and comparisons between upcoming games,
their sequels and of course, the gaming consoles. To be a video game journalist, genuine
interest and passion for gaming are the main skills required. The reviews need to be highly
descriptive and detailed. Hence mostly, gamers with writing skills go on to become video
game journalists. There are plenty of platforms to begin with; you could be a freelancer or
employed on a part-time basis. Some exceptionally skilled journalists go on to develop their
own site!

War Journalism
As the name suggests, war journalists are required to cover an ongoing war. Though they are
not required on an everyday basis, it is undoubtedly a dangerous profession. There are two
types of war journalists; those assigned with a military unit to gather information, and others,
who cover the same independently. In the former type, one is more likely to hear a one-sided
story. In the latter, information is usually presented indifferently as a third person.

Weather Journalism
This self-explanatory and widely-known category is not taken seriously by most people and
is usually sidetracked. However, this small section is immensely helpful and vastly relied
upon, even today! Here, how you present the information is secondary; the key factor is to be
short and precise.

On the Basis of News Gathering

Ambush Journalism
This is one of the techniques followed by journalists to collect news. It is actually a military
tactic used to make a surprise attack in the same way as it is used to confront people so as to
get answers. We come across this method more often on television, in a news show, or
interviews where answers on sensitive topics are pulled out from people, who generally avoid
speaking to journalists.

Analytical Journalism
This class primarily aims at collaborating bits of information on the basis of evidence to draw
substantial conclusions. Investigative journalism also plays a key role here. Analytical
journalists are tasked with probing into simple chunks of news with mere theories. These
journalists invest a lot of effort to bring many commonly missed points by shedding light on
them.

Citizen Journalism
This is a type of journalism where the people make their contribution to the news. They can
share facts, give suggestions, and also say what they feel about that particular event. Even
after the news has been published, it is open for people to add their comments and
suggestions. This method is mostly used by journalists for sensitive issues so that the citizen
gets a chance to speak and another news can made with that information. People can also
bring to notice issues that may have been missed by media houses.

Collaborative Journalism
This is a method which is used in the journalism industry where many news organizations
and individual journalists come together and contribute their work to a news story. A lot of
centers have been helping the amateur as well as professional journalists to come together
and work on a news story together. This has been followed since the time Internet usage
became vast. So, a single collaborative news story will have the hard work of many authors
combined with different perspectives.

Drone Journalism
Gathering news with the use of a small, unnamed aerial device known as drones for
collection of photos, videos and news is called drone journalism. This method has emerged
with a lot of buzz in the industry. Various drone labs have been set up which allow the use of
these devices. This method is used to get a better coverage of wars, droughts, earthquakes,
tsunamis, and so on. The use of drones is made legal in the U.S. and one is allowed to fly the
same till 400 feet as of today.

Gotcha Journalism
This is an interview technique used by journalists to get comments on the topics, which are
not answered. This tactic can be used when some wrongdoing has to be exposed. It can be
used in many ways depending on what outcome is expected. Gotcha technique has created a
lot of buzz in the industry as it is a challenging way to gather information.

Investigative Journalism
This type of journalism is about unearthing facts and studying cases that may require more
efforts, which can take months, or even years. Journalists, who specialize in investigative
journalism create headlines with news that expose scandals. Sometimes, persistent follow-up
of a story proves beneficial to uncover some hitherto unsolved cases. This would require in-
depth research from the journalist along with evidence.

Parachute Journalism
This method is about going to hotspots around the world and gathering news from those
places. It includes jumping to places so as to cover the breaking news. Being an outsider, a
parachute journalist collects information from a fresh perspective. Even though he lacks the
necessary networking, he is tasked with collecting all the inside details from scratch. Many a
time, these journalists have to land in countries that speak different languages and work with
tight deadlines, which makes this profile a challenging one.

Participatory Media
This method is quite related to the citizen kind. In this, the audience is given an opportunity
to participate, and it acts as a platform for discussion and debates. It also helps communities,
who share the same interest to come together and share their views. It stands as a transparent
medium and encourages corrections and additions.

Precision Journalism
This method is a need that has arisen for the fast-paced society. Journalists have to present all
the information in a manner that grabs the reader's attention. Various research methods and
techniques are applied to collect information. Statistical programs are used to analyze
records, which help the journalists to effectively create a presentation. It aims to be objective
with a scientific approach and strives for the truth.
On the Basis of Writing Styles

Activist Journalism
In this branch, one expresses his personal opinion on the particular subject, instead of
reporting from a third person's point of view. This form has shaped out of the ideology that
unless you are passionate about the topic and express your thoughts freely, you can never
convey the same well! Though journalism as a profession usually demands one to be
objective, this method is being highly adopted today.

Advocacy Journalism
Under this branch, journalists are openly biased towards a particular entity while reporting
events or happenings. The information they convey is mostly one-sided and tends to defend
the specific entity. Most advocacy journalists believe that in their profession, one is very
likely to become partial. As a constant follower of any story, it is difficult to stay detached.
You eventually will develop an opinion! So, instead of trying to be indifferent, one might as
well report from his point of view.

Comic/Graphic Journalism
This is an upcoming and highly interesting branch of print media. Here, comics are used to
depict real life instances from recent news articles. This is highly effective as it helps in
publicizing serious issues with a touch of humor. These comics are catchy and engrossing,
thus conveying important information in a desirable manner. This style is used in
newspapers, monthly subscriptions, and several websites. In fact in the recent few years,
many universities are offering courses for comic strip design! It makes for an interesting and
unique career option for those who are creative and good at sketching.

Database Journalism
Here, the information is usually in the form of collected data, such as statics, comparative
figures etc. The journalist is free to use different forms of data representation to make the
information easily understandable. This includes use of tables, flowcharts, links, maps, and
other similar means.

Feature Story Journalism

The primary difference between a story and news is the time frame. Any fresh information is
said to be news, whereas known facts and information are said to be featured articles or
stories. Mostly, these include detailed information about a widely known topic; such as the
character sketch of a particular person -- usually a public figure, or informative articles,
reviews etc.

Gonzo Journalism
Unlike all other types, in this kind, the journalist is expected to express a good measure of
personal opinion. This style of expression in journalism was brought about by Hunter S.
Thompson. He believed that a person reporting a piece of news or information is expected to
contribute his thoughts on the same; to the point that the journalist is expected to be
straightforward and blunt, even if that implied giving a rather harsh opinion!

Inverted Pyramid Style

This style is mostly followed for news reports and articles, wherein the flow of the article is
maintained as per the importance of the information. First, the most important information is
revealed; mostly the description -- a gist of the news. Other key information that supports
your story will follow next; this mostly includes answers pertaining to your description, such
as why, how, when, and where. So at this point, the information that the reader is looking for
is stated. Now, one can continue with the extra details, perhaps a link to a similar story.
Recently, most writers have started following this format as the article is short and precise.

Photojournalism
A picture says a thousand words. Keeping this in mind, photojournalism is a small but
important part of almost every field of journalism. Here, journalists use pictures to depict an
event, story, or occurrence. In some cases, photojournalism is inevitable -- like news articles
-- as the pictures help the reader or viewer get a clear idea of the exact scenario. Wildlife,
war, and travel journalisms are just a few examples of such cases. This style is also useful
while depicting the timeline of a person or event. Needless to say, basic photography skills is
an important prerequisite to be a photojournalist.

Tabloid Journalism
This type is a hit with some unreliable newspapers and websites even today! In this style, the
journalist tries to sensationalize a particular piece of news by molding the story itself. Also
famous by the name 'yellow journalism', such form of news is highly exaggerated and mostly
unreliable. A good example of this is when celebrity controversies are hyped and publicized
on a big scale to grab eyeballs.