 |
Types of Stories
The most effective way to approach the media depends on the type of coverage you want. Some formats are specific to certain outlets,
but there are several basic types of “stories.”
- News is time-sensitive information about events or developments. It may be covered by general assignment reporters or reporters who cover regular "beats" such as city hall, health or transportation. Some newspapers now have “senior beats.”
- Features, sometimes considered “soft” news, include personality profiles or pieces with an historical, national or human-interest angle.
- Columns are regularly scheduled opinion pieces written by staff writers, freelancers or syndicated columnists.
- Opinion pieces are written by guest writers, regular columnists and members of the general public.
- Op-Eds, short for “opposite editorials,” refers to short opinion pieces that are run opposite the editorial pages of newspapers.
- Editorials are written by newspaper staff.
- Special sections include the arts, book reviews, sports, travel, consumer issues, religion, business, weekend and others.
- Calendar announcements are listings of events that appear in most daily and many weekly and community newspapers and on web sites, local radio and cable access television stations.
|
|