Essential Journalistic Genres and News Writing Techniques

Genres of Journalism

Journalism not only informs about reality; it also interprets it. It uses persuasion mechanisms and, at times, manipulation. Both the selection of news and the issues extending how they are held in place on the informational page are mechanisms of persuasion and manipulation. The issuer's intent to convey a fact and the effects pursued in the recipient determine the choice of genre.

Informational Genres

Informational texts convey factual information, whether recent or from the past, of interest to the readers to whom they are directed. Therefore, personal views and judgments of journalistic value should be excluded. Informational genres include:

• News: The story of important and usually recent political, economic, social, cultural, and other statements.
• Interview: A conversation whose goal is to report on the views of a person. It usually begins with the presentation of the interviewee, followed by a list of questions and answers.
• Documentation: A text that contains information establishing a fact that occurred.
• Report: A text that addresses a recent and relevant event, or one that occurred previously, or refers to situations of social interest.

Stylistic Features of Informative Texts

Informative texts have common stylistic features. In connection with their reports, the referential function of language predominates. The pretense of objectivity determines the selection of an impersonal speech. The language is cultured but not too formal, making it accessible to readers. It uses a specialized vocabulary depending on the topic discussed.

The News

The news is a text issued on radio, television, or the press that provides information about recent events. There are different types of news depending on the nature of the subject matter, and news items are also noted for their size. Information is organized following the principle of relevance: it is situated in a prominent position, and information is available from the top down, from general to particular.

Structure of a News Story

• Headline: Expresses the theme or main fact. The headline can be composed of a title (the main part referring to the most important aspect), a subtitle, or a summary (antetítulo), which develops, explains, or supplements the title.
• Entry: The first paragraph of the news.
• Source: The source of information can be mentioned in some news.
• Body of the news: Explains the situation in detail. It appears in a smaller font size. It usually includes the background, the consequences of what happened, and sometimes verbal reactions or events more important than the initial facts.