Journalism

UNIT-I
History - Definition of news - News Sources – NewsValues - Roles and Functions of Journalism
- Canons of Journalism.
DEFINITION OF NEWS

1. News has been defined differently by different experts. Some of the definitions are given
below,
2. News is anything out of the ordinary
3. News is the unusual picture of life.
4. News is anything that people talk about; the more it excites the greater its value. ,
5. News comprises all current activities which are of general human interest and the best
news is that which interests most of the reader.
6. Anything that enough people want to read is news provided it does not violate the canons
of good taste and the law of libel.
7. News is like a hot cake coming straight from oven.
8. News is the report of an event that is fresh, unusual and which is interesting to a greater
number of people.

The Elements/Components of News

Objectivity

News is the factual report of an event. What the reporter sees is supposed to report. Objectivity
means to report the facts exactly the same way as they occurred. It goes against objectivity if the
reporter adds something from his own imagination. Comment/suggestion or proposal is not the
task of a news reporter. These are considered right in a column, editorial, etc. In these formats of
journalistic writings the writer can provide in-depth and background information.
In simplest words objectivity means just to report the tip of the iceberg and leave the rest to
analytical and in-depth reporting. It will not be an objective reporting if the reporter wants to
angle, slant or shade the news.

Concise and Clear

There is a famous sentence about writing a news story : “Brevity and simplicity are the soul of
journalism.”

Journalism has got a special language – journalistic language – which is quite different from all
other languages and particularly from the literature.

Journalistic language is simple, easy, concise and clear. Its basic aim is to convey the message in
the simplest way to the masses because every person in the masses is not highly educated.

There is an approved writing style of achieving concision and brevity. Which is called “Inverted
pyramid style of news”? This news writing style has been explained in Unit No. 2 of this course.

News sources

In earlier days many rulers used the technique of drum beat to convey their message through
different people or his officials and many rulers carved their messages on the walls or rocks to
deliver their message.

Later in the modern world, all these news sources were eliminated and then press took new
elements of news sources. Such as televisions, radio, press release, press conference,
newspapers, press interviews, institutions such as hospitals, schools, colleges, police stations etc.
These are the news sources which are prominent in today’s time.

1. Radio-It is an audio medium used by many in today’s time. We can see people are relying on
Radio as a source of information. Radio is prominent and seen in both rural and urban areas.
People in rural who cannot afford television rely on radio as it is cheap. If we talk about urban
areas where we do not see many using radio at their houses instead they listen in their cars. Over
decades radio has gained popularity and is said is a good source of news.
2. Television- television telecasts their news on television through which other newspaper takes
there sources. It is said to be the most authentic source of news as it has visuals to establish the
authenticity. Television helps and provides newspapers to give detailed information to the
audience but television news just doesn’t act as the source to the newspaper but also the audience
itself.

3. Newspapers and magazines: these two also act as a good source of news. Newspaper on both
the levels national and international provides the best information in details. The newspaper has
5W’s and 1H which gives all the significant information at the starting of the news and further
deals with the minor details and same is done in the magazines.

4. Press release: Press Releases are generally used for the release of a particular news. The Press
Release should contain worthwhile material which has some news value. A Press Release should
be written in a journalistic style and provide facts and information of interest to readers and
should cover all aspects of a specific subject. The release should be on current subject and a
piece of clear writing without any ambiguity, color or ornamentation but it should at the same
time not be generally lengthy.

5. Press notes: The press notes are less formal in character. These are also issued on important
official matters e.g. raising or lowering of tariff rates, price fixation of food grains, subsidy
announcement of seeds, fertilizer etc. Apart from the name of department, place and date, a press
note mentions headings. Unlike the press communiqué, the newspaper can edit or condense the
press notes.

6. Handouts: The handouts are issued on a variety of subjects like the day-to-day activities of
the ministry or departments, VIP speeches, question and answers in Parliament or legislature and
the developmental programmes of government departments. It covers the name of the PIB or
information department. No official handout is issued, if the minister or a government official
has spoken in his personal capacity.

7. Press statement: the statements are usually given by known people, then he shares his
statement with media and later this becomes press statement.
8. Police station: every event which is of big concern to the police station would be firstly
found in the police station. If the reporter wants to know about a crime scene he would get first-
hand information from there.

NEWS VALUES

Journalists are the best judges about what is news and what is not. They take this decision based
on certain news values. The following are the salient points to judge the newsworthiness.

1. Timeliness: News is something new. So timeliness is a great factor in deciding news. An

incident that happened one month back will not make news for today’s newspaper. Also
timeliness varies from publication to publication. For a newspaper, events that had happened on
the previous day is news. But for a weekly, events of the previous one week can make news. For
a 24-hour television news channel, every second is a deadline. They can break the news anytime.
So their timeliness is different from that of a newspaper.

2. Impact : Impact of an event decides its newsworthiness. When the tsunami waves struck
several parts of the world, thousands of people were affected. It became major news for the
whole world. But if a cyclone kills 20 people in Bangladesh, it may not have any impact on other
parts of the world. When dengue fever affects 100 people in Delhi, it makes news not only in
Delhi but in other states also because the impact is more wide and people become more alert
about the news.

3. Proximity : “Bird flu spreading and hundreds of chicken dying in England”. Does it make
news for you? You may read it but do not worry about it. But bird flu spreading in West Bengal
will make you alert. This is because it is in your proximity. A plane crash in Peru will not be big
news in India, but if an aircraft crashes in India, it will be headlines everywhere. So proximity
decides the news.

4. Controversy: - People like controversies. Anything that is connected with conflicts,

arguments, charges and counter-charges, fights and tension becomes news. All of you might
have heard of Kargil. It was a conflict between India and Pakistan. It became great news all over
the world. Many of you may remember the controversy about the Indian and Australian cricket
teams. It was news for all the media. When terrorists crashed their plane into the World Trade
Centre in New York it was lead news everywhere.

5. Prominence: If a prominent person is involved in any event, it becomes news. If an ordinary

person’s car breaks down and he has to wait for ten minutes on the roadside till the vehicle is
repaired it makes no news. But if the Prime Minister’s car breaks down and his motorcade has to
stop for five minutes it becomes news. A person visiting Rajghat and paying homage to Gandhiji
may not be a news item, but when the US President visits Rajghat it becomes news.

6. Currency: News is about current events. Suppose the Olympic Games are held in India. It
becomes news because everybody is interested in it. Likewise when SAARC leaders meet in
Delhi to formulate future action plans, it becomes the current news. Similarly, if extreme cold
weather continues for a week and fog disrupts air, rail and road traffic, it becomes news.

7. Oddity : Unusual things makes news. Extraordinary and unexpected events generate public
interest. You might have seen box items in newspapers about such happenings . A man pulls a
car by his hair, a woman gives birth to triplets, a singer enters the Guinness Book by singing
non-stop for 48 hours, the painting of a famous artist is auctioned for a very expensive price . All
such odd stories evoke much public interest.

8. Emotion: Stories of human interest make good news items. For eg. the police rescue a school
boy kidnapped by mischief makers after a search of two weeks. The parents meet the boy in an
emotionally surcharged atmosphere. The story of this meeting with a photograph makes a good
human interest report. Doctors advise a girl in Pakistan to undergo a heart surgery urgently. But
her parents cannot afford the expenses. The Rotary Club of Delhi east offers help through their
scheme of ‘Gift of Life’. The girl comes to India and undergoes surgery successfully. While
going back she and her overwhelmed parents narrate their experiences in India. This makes a
good human interest story.

9. Usefulness: Sometimes news items help the public in various ways. You must have noticed
that weather forecasters warn fishermen not to go to the sea for fishing on certain days because
of rough weather. Newspapers gives the phone numbers of police stations, hospitals, ambulance
services etc. to help people. You might have seen in newspapers, requests from relatives to
donors of blood for a patient in a critical condition. Newspapers also raise funds from the public
to help victims of disasters and natural calamities, like tsunami and earthquake.

10. Educational value: News has also an educational value. In almost all newspapers, you can
find columns about educational and job opportunities. These guide you about different
educational courses, career options available, opportunities for higher studies etc. These news
items help you become more knowledgeable. News values, sometimes called news criteria,
determine how much prominence a news story is given by a media outlet, and the attention it is
given by the audience.

Qualities of a reporter

The following are the basic qualities of a reporter or rather a good reporter.

1. Credibility is something that every good reporter should have. In other words, a reporter must
exhibit characters and behaviors that make him or her to be believed and trusted by people.

2. A good reporter should be courageous and confident. Without courage and confidence it is
difficult for a person to be a good reporter. Timidity on the part of any reporter will get them
nowhere.

3. Curiosity is another very important quality of any good reporter. There is the need to be
curious all the time. The spirit of curiosity helps the reporter get good stories.

4. A journalist should have a healthy skepticism. This means checking and rechecking
information which is very important because every story is based on facts and evidence.

5. A reporter should be able to work fast and enthusiastically on any given story. News writing
especially has a lot to do with deadlines. This therefore means that a good reporter should be able
to work under pressure and meet deadlines. If you can’t soak the pressure then it is going to be
hard to work as a reporter.

6. A good reporter should be able to gather facts in a very careful and accurate way. 7. Reporters
should be able to write well. By writing very well I mean writing clear and well-focused stories
that is easy to understand by everyone. Good spellings, punctuations and grammar are also
requirements.
8. Reporters should be able to write very good leads for their news stories and features.

9. A good reporter should have the habit of self-editing their copy before submitting it to their
editors. 10. There is the need to have wide general knowledge on different issues.

11. A good reporter should have an eye for what is newsworthy and should be able to produce
new stories without being told.

12. Another very important skill a good reporter should have is the skill of producing stories that
are fair and balanced.

13. A good reporter should be skilled at taking notes.

14. A good reporter must be able to analyze and interpret information.

15. Must be good at asking the right questions at the right time.

16. The work of news gathering is quite an unpredictable one. One might never know when news
will break or where it will happen. It is for this reason that a reporter should be able and willing
to work at irregular hours.

17. A reporter should be a good team player and be capable of working with other reporters,
photographers and even editors.

18. A good reporter should be able to take corrections and criticisms in the course of performing
their job.

19. The most important characteristic of a reporter is ethical behavior. When a reporter fails to
operate according to a strong ethical and moral code of behavior, that one individual's failing can
damage the overall credibility of the news media in long-term, serious ways.

Different types of news reporting

Different types of news reporting which are as under,

1. Investigative Reporting

2. Court Reporting
3. Accidence Reporting

4. Political Reporting

5. Fashion Reporting

6. Business Reporting

7. Sports Reporting

8. Specialized Reporting

Requisites of News Reporting a News Reporter should follow the following steps:

1. A reporter must appreciate the importance of having a good reputation for absolute reliability.
For this purpose he must be systematic in his habits and punctual in keeping his appointments.
By observing these principles, every reporter can make his path smooth and trouble free.

2. A reporter should have the ability of news reporting and writing skills in the language of his
paper. He should possess the quality to compose in a condensed manner as per allowable space.

3. The reporter of any local newspaper occupies a unique position and he becomes quite popular
with the people of his town. He reports the local events, functions, fairs, socials etc. and comes
closer to the social life of the town. A reporter should follow some professional ethics in his
work. Sometimes, while engaged in his profession, he may come to some persons and develop
confidential relations with them.

4. Sometimes, a reporter may be asked to write short length paragraphs regarding the local
intelligence or about the city news. For this he should keep his eyes and ears open and develop a
nose for local news. He should develop a system to ensure that none of the interesting news is
missed by him. He should try to know the secretaries of social, religious, political, musical
dramatic, legal, official and other organizations and should call upon them regularly to get some
interesting stories. He should make inquiries from the police regarding news of accidents and
crimes. He should also contact the fire-station for the particulars of local fires.

5. Every reporter should keep an engagement diary. In this way he can systematize his working
and attend to all his appointments properly and punctually. By keeping an engagement diary he
can know about the important engagements and other events in the future and cover them
without fail.

6. The reporter should not forget to give a head line to his typed copy. Every copy which goes to
the printer to be set is given a catchline. The catchline is a key word, because during the
production it identifies all the sheets of the copy. Tile catchline is given on each sheet so that the
printer can collate the whole story. The catchline should be chosen very carefully. It is better to
choose an uncommon word, which may not resemble with another news catchline.

Newspapers

Newspapers are the most popular forms of print media. Newspapers can vary from daily
newspapers to weekly tabloids. Different types of newspaper cater to various audiences.

1.There are general newspapers, daily business newspapers to sports newspapers. Similarly,
there can be morning newspapers and afternoon/evening newspapers.

2. Magazines Weekly, bi-weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, half yearly publication come
under the category of magazines. Usually, magazine contains more detailed reports, analysis,
photographs and illustrations on quality paper. Unlike newspaper which has a shelf life of 24
hours, a magazine can have a longer shelf life.

3. Newsletters: Newsletters also form an important part of print media. These target a specific
group of audience and give information on a product, service or institution.

4. 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.

5. 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. Apart from these media, direct mail marketing,
flyers, handbills/ leaflets, banner advertising, billboard advertising, press releases etc are all the
various types of print media.
Advantages and limitations of newspapers

 The newspaper has the ability to influence the way people view the world, as well as
their opinion of what they see.
 School of Distance Education Introduction to Communication and Journalism Newspaper
can report stories in detail.
 It provides more detailed news than radio or television. It permits readers to absorb news
at their own speed and on their schedule.
 Readers can skip items that do not interest them.
 Newspaper can print certain material that appeals to only a small percentage of the
reading public such as death notices, stock market listings and classified advertisements.
 Newspaper is cheaply available for less than the price of a cup of tea or coffee.
 A large number of people can be reached in a given geographical area.
 Newspaper can be easily recycled after reading.
 Newspaper has great mobility that is, one can easily carry newspaper to wherever one
travels. Newspapers give the most important details in the very first paragraph.

Journalism
Journalism is a profession of writing for newspaper and magazines. Two important works are
done by the journalist. They are,
1. collection of news
2. dissemination of information
Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on current events based on facts and
supported with proof or evidence. The word journalism applies to the occupation, as well as
citizen journalists who gather and publish information based on facts and supported with proof or
evidence.
Journalistic media include print, television, radio, Internet, and, in the past, newsreels. Concepts
of the appropriate role for journalism vary between countries. In some nations, the news media
are controlled by government intervention and are not fully independent. In others, the news
media are independent of the government but instead operate as private industry motivated by
profit.
Journalist
One who is attached to the profession of journalism is called journalist.
Importance of Journalism
It is universally acknowledged that pen is mightier than sword. Journalism is highly important
because,
1. It protects society from aggression.
2. It becomes the voice of society and don’t let any one to exploit it.
3. It protects human rights.
4. It serves as mirror and project the images of politician and leaders etc.
5. It challenges act of autocracy and dictatorship
6. World has become global village, people stay connected through mass media around the
world.

Consumers of journalism:
1. Public masses
2. government
3. NGO’s
4. Organizations
5. youngsters
6. professionals
7. businessman
8. students etc

Functions of journalism:
The following are the functions of journalism
1. Provide information
2. Influence people through opinions, advertisements, editorials etc
.3. Provide entertainment
4. Advertisement takes place
Educational function ( provide education to people on various topics)
6. Provide latest NEWS
7. Image building role ( it build image of a person as good or bad)
8. Defend propagandas of anti-state elements.
9. Builds public opinion.

The Elements / Components of Journalism

In the book The Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, there are nine
elements of journalism
In order for a journalist to fulfill their duty of providing the people with the information, they
need to be free and self-governing. They must follow these guidelines:
1. Journalism's first obligation is to the truth.
2. Its first loyalty is to the citizens.
3. Its essence is 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.
10. Its the rights and responsibilities of citizens.

Guiding principles of Journalist

Following are the guiding principles of journalist.

1. Journalist should always adopt rationale approach.
2. He should be neutral and impartial.
3. He should have a broad vision for journalism.
4. Journalist should remain updated with current events.
5. He should be scientific in his approach.
6. He should be professionally trained.
7. Journalist should be a patriot, familiar with norm, culture and taboos of society.
8. He should perform his duties in highest public interest.
Ethics of Journalism/ Canons of Journalism
American society of newspaper editors (ASNE) prescribed the following canons of journalism in
1923 which are as follows.
1. Responsibility-The journalist should be a responsible man and perform his duties responsibly.
2. Freedom of Press- Freedom of press shall not be used as a weapon against any one. Journalist
shall report the news in its true sense and shall not try to make someone’s image.
3. Independence-The policy of a newspaper should be independent and shall not favour any
political oradministrative figure. There shall be no bias and prejudices against any one.
4. Sincerity, Truthfulness And Accuracy- self explanatory
5. Impartiality-The newspaper editor shall show impartiality. He shall stand neutral in all cases.
6. Fair play-The journalist shall show a fair play. They shall not misuse their position and shall
work in the best interest of society.

History of journalism in India

Journalism has its own history.

James August Hickey started the first newspaper in India in the year 1780. The paper was called
the Bengal Gazette(later called the Hicky’s Gazette). It started out as a weekly political and
commercial newspaper and was called a paper that was open to all and influenced by none.
There was political and social corruption was everywhere here among the British ruling the
country. Hicky was a printer by profession. He launched the newspaper to target British
authorities, individuals and their private affairs. But, his journey in journalism was short lived as
he was arrested and jailed in the year 1781 for openly criticizing the policies of the government
and the East India Company.

The topic of the history of journalism in India began with James Hickey and his newspaper.
After that few more newspapers were published that obeyed the government and abided by all
the publishing rules. One of them was the Madras courier that was officially permitted to print
government notifications and the other was the Bombay Herald (merged with the Bombay
Courier later).

The birth of a free press had already commenced with more newspapers coming up along with
various papers in regional languages spreading awareness about various matters.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a social reformer also came up with his Persian newspaper Mirat- ul-
Akhbar. His main emphasis was the social upliftment of people. He stopped publishing his
periodical as a protest to the government’s regulations.

Later, he launched a magazine in English by the name of the Brahmanical Magazine. It aimed
at counteracting the propaganda of Christian Missionaries. The rise of prominent Newspapers
The years after led to the inception of many new papers and magazines. Chandrika Samachar
and Bombay Samachar started in Bengal and Bombay respectively in 1882. Bombay Samachar
had a commercial touch added to it. Along with giving importance to social reforms it also
published advertisements and announcements.

Udant Martand, published in the year 1826 from Bengal, became India’s first Hindi
newspaper. The paper used to reach the other states of the Country via post. This later became
one of the major reasons for its early departure from the market. A paper called Jami Jahan
Numa replaced it in the market later. Later, newspapers started coming out in diverse regional
languages like Urdu, Persian, Marathi, and Bengali. A lot happened in journalism after 1857
that played a crucial role in the history of journalism in India.

The mutiny of 1857 revealed the divide between British and Indian owned newspapers.
Gagging Act in the same year as a result of this outrage. It limited the liberty the press enjoyed
by imposing several restrictions. The issues of sati, widow remarriage, crimes and opposition
to teaching English at schools and colleges were some of the main topics of discussion
before and after the mutiny. Addition of different newspapers in the early years made
journalism what it is today.

These were papers like The Times of India, The Pioneer, Amrita Bazaar Palika, and the
Madras mail. A merger of three newspapers that were, Bombay Standard, Bombay Times,
and the Telegraph gave birth to the Times of India. Lokmanya Tilak found Kesari in 1881.
Along with Amrita Bazaar Palika, it opposed government attempts to suppress the nationalist
agendas. The following years saw greater professionalism in the field of journalism in India as
the press started writing more about popular political opinions and agendas.

The Press in India also turned up as a source of employment to both who educated and not so
well educated at that time. Many took up job roles like reporters, editors, and press owners.
There are several news sources such as official documents, governmental officials, witnesses of
the crime scene, the victim itself etc.

PRINCIPLES OF JOURNALISM

1. People’s right to true information: People have the right to acquire an objective picture of
reality by obtaining accurate and comprehensive information as well as to express themselves
freely through various media.

2. Dedication to objective reality: The foremost task of the journalist is to serve the people’s
right to true and authentic information through dedication to objective reality.

3. Social responsibility: A journalist shares responsibility for the information transmitted.

He/she is accountable not only to the proprietors of the media but also to the public at large.

4. Professional integrity: The social role of the journalist demands that he/she should maintain
high standards of integrity. The integrity of the profession does not permit the journalist to accept
any form of bribe or the promotion of any private interest contrary to general welfare.

5. Public access and participation: The nature of the profession demands that the journalist
promote access by the public to information and participation of the public in the media,
including the right of correction or rectification and right to reply.
6. Respect for privacy and human dignity: An integral part of the professional standards of the
journalist is respect for the right of the individual to privacy and human dignity.

7. Respect for universal values and diversity of culture: A true journalist stands for universal
values of humanism such as peace, democracy, human rights, social progress and national
liberation. Thus, a journalist participates actively in the social transformation towards democratic
betterment of a society.

8. Elimination of war and other great evils confronting humanity: The commitment to the
universal values of humanism calls for journalists to abstain from any justification for or
incitement to wars of aggression and arms race. Journalists should also try to eliminate all forms
of violence, hatred or discrimination especially racism, oppression , colonialism, as well as other
great evils which afflict humanity such as poverty, malnutrition and deprivation.

9. Promotion of a new world information and communication order: The journalist should aim at
de-colonisation and democratisation of the fields of information and communication both
nationally and internationally on the basis of peaceful coexistence among people and with full
respect for their cultural identities.

10. Truth and Accuracy -Journalists cannot always guarantee ‘truth’, but getting the facts right
is the cardinal principle of journalism. We should always strive for accuracy, give all the relevant
facts we have and ensure that they have been checked. When we cannot corroborate information
we should say so.

11. Independence- Journalists must be independent voices; we should not act, formally or
informally, on behalf of special interests whether political, corporate or cultural. We should
declare to our editors – or the audience – any of our political affiliations, financial arrangements
or other personal information that might constitute a conflict of interest.

12. Fairness and Impartiality -Most stories have at least two sides. While there is no
obligation to present every side in every piece, stories should be balanced and add context.
Objectivity is not always possible, and may not always be desirable (in the face for example of
brutality or inhumanity), but impartial reporting builds trust and confidence.
13. Humanity - Journalists should do no harm. What we publish or broadcast may be hurtful,
but we should be aware of the impact of our words and images on the lives of others.

14. Accountability- A sure sign of professionalism and responsible journalism is the ability to
hold ourselves accountable. When we commit errors we must correct them and our expressions
of regret must be sincere not cynical. We listen to the concerns of our audience. We may not
change what readers write or say but we will always provide remedies when we are unfair.

Functions of Journalism:

The press performs a very important role as a means of mass communication in the modern
world. The press tries to inform its readers objectively about what is happening in their country
and the world at large. To bring certain developments into the focus, editorial comments on the
news are also given. Newspapers also play a very imperative role in eliminating undesirable
conditions prevailing in the society. Sometimes, newspapers carry campaign for some highly
desirable civic projects and serve the society in this way. There is four most important function
of journalism:

 to inform,
 to interpret and educate,
 to guide and
 to entertain.

1: Information

This function of journalism intends to inform the masses that include all reports, news and
happening concerning their daily lives.

It does not include any information involving or concerning the pursuit of leisure. But it does
cover all news regarding government, politics, foreign affairs, weather, accident, business, labor,
education etc.
This function consists mostly of matter, which is given, in news broadcast, on the radio and T.
V. as well as in the news columns of the newspapers and magazines.

2: Education

The need for interpreting and explaining the news in our day and age is readily manifold because
even the specialists at times become baffled by their own fields of knowledge.

The ordinary mortal caught in a maze of economics, science or invention needs to be led by the
hand through its intricacies Accordingly, the present day journalism see to it that, along with its
announcement of a fact, event or theory, the reader or listener also gets explanation, background
material, interpretation and diagrams.

These are all aimed at helping an individual to achieve a better understanding of the
significances of what he/she reads or hears.

3: Guidance

From the earliest days journalism has sought to influence mankind. Journalism endeavors to
sway the minds of men through the printed words, cartoons, and pictures as they appear in
newspapers, magazines, pamphlets and books and through the spoken word over the air.

To meet these ends it uses all the nuances of arguments and all the devices of propaganda News
is the raw material of opinion and opinion may be indicated without a word of the comment
being uttered by the way in which the news itself is announced, either prominently or
inconspicuously.

Avowedly the newspaper strives to influence its readers through its articles of opinion, its
editorials, its cartoons, and its signed columns Avowedly the radio seeks to influence through its
commentators, its interviewer and its many speakers who advocate varying points of views.
4: Entertainment

Side by side with its most serious roles as a purveyor of information, interpreter and molder of
opinion, journalism lays increasing emphasis on its function as an entertainer.

Under this function can be included all types of fiction like comic strips, stories amusing aspects
of everyday life etc.

It also includes factual material, sports news, theatre reviews and hobby columns, which deals
with leisure.

The entertainment function of the press is very important. This function only competes for space
and time with other functions, but it can also exert indirect influence and impart information,
incidentally.