What are the different types of media writing?

Working in media is both exciting and challenging, and no two days are the same. Although the rise of new publishing platforms means the journalism world is evolving at a rapid pace, we still rely on it to inform, educate and entertain us, influencing the way people look at the world and encouraging them to change their views for the better. However, media writing has developed into a number of styles and forms, which is why we’re going to take a closer look at the different types of media writing below.

News writing is a particular style of prose that is used to report on the basic facts of a particular event. Whether for newspaper publication or broadcasting, it answers the five Ws in the first few sentences or lines. This structure, which focuses on the who, what, when, where, why and how, is also known as the inverted pyramid (the most important information is communicated first).

News writing is both precise and direct, so it’s rare you’ll find any jargon — it’s a very formal style. As a rule of thumb, news writers won’t use long words or phrases when short ones will do, nor will they use the same word more than once in a sentence or paragraph if it can be avoided.

Feature writing presents newsworthy events through a narrative, but it differs from news writing in the respect that it relies on creativity and an element of subjectivity to emotionally connect with readers. Its purpose is to entertain, which is why it covers a lot of ‘soft’ news — think art, entertainment, sport and lifestyle.

Feature stories also build on news that has already been reported, aiming to humanise the person behind the story while offering more depth and insight. Examples of features include profiles, spot features and live-in stories. Spot features run alongside breaking news events, so are often produced to a tight deadline, whereas live-in stories are more in-depth, providing a closer look at a particular place that readers wouldn’t usually experience. Reporters spend a lot of time at the places they’re writing about, which can include A&E departments, hospices, police stations and homeless shelters.

Reviews are a staple of media and journalism, and the aim is to offer an opinion or recommendation to readers. Unlike news writing, you can be subjective and adopt a more informal tone; creating a good rapport with your audience is essential if they’re going to take your views into consideration.

A column is a recurring article or piece most commonly found in newspapers and magazines, and the writer is free to express their own opinion in the space allocated to them. What separates a column from news pieces and reviews is that it is typically written by the same journalist on the same theme or subject each time, making it a regular feature in popular tabloids and broadsheets.

Investigative writing often uncovers political corruption, serious crimes or corporate wrongdoing, so it requires a writer to spend many months researching and planning their story before publication. Due to the sensitive nature of investigative journalism, it’s important for writers to maintain high standards of accuracy at all times, with any claims backed up by evidence they have verified themselves.

Online news consumption around the world is growing exponentially, and while the basic principles of writing apply, including accurate reporting, fact-checking, and proper grammar and spelling, it requires writers to craft copy that best suits this medium.

Concise and clear writing is particularly important in the digital space, mainly because internet users want information fast and in an easily-digestible manner. However, headlines also need to be considered carefully. Why? Because straightforward headlines work better online than indirect headlines, and they will not be picked up by search engines at all if they don’t include any keywords.

– Richard Nordquist

Described perfectly by Richard Nordquist, this type of writing has increased in importance as sport has grown in power, wealth and influence. Although sportswriters don’t cover the ‘serious’ topics explored by investigative or news writers, they are an essential element of any media organisation. Some sportswriters specialise in one particular sport, while others cover matches and events within any given area.

An editorial is an article, usually opinion-based, that is written by a senior member of a publication’s editorial staff. Although it can be about any topic, it usually covers an issue within society and is backed up by evidence and facts to build credibility. Many writers find editorials difficult to master, but having passion or knowledge about a certain subject often makes it much easier.

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