This document provides information on different types of journalism writing, including feature articles, editorials, columns, and sports writing. It discusses the various types of feature stories, editorials, columns, and elements of writing each. Feature stories can include personality sketches, personal experiences, human interest stories, and more. Editorials can be of information, interpretation, criticism, commendation, or argumentation. Columns have different purposes and functions and can be on various topics. Sports writing focuses on game reporting and includes elements like leads, body of the story, and wrap-ups with player and coach quotes.

1. Campus
Journalism

2. Feature Article
a special or prominent article in
a newspaper or magazine; "they
ran a feature on retirement
planning"

3. Types of Feature Stories
 • Personality sketch
• Personal experience
• Human interest story
• Humorous feature
• News feature stories
• Informative feature
• A “how-to” feature article

4. Personality sketch – feature story that describes
prominent personalities. This kind gives details behind the
lives or events in the lives of interesting people.
Personal experience – usually written in the first
person and talks about an unusual event in the life of the
writer.
Human interest story – a type of feature story that
appeals more to the emotion of the readers than to the
relevance of the story to any news.
Humorous feature – this type of feature story aims to
entertain the readers and to deliver a funny, yet witty
approach of story.

5. News feature stories – usually based on a recent
news story.
Informative feature – the primary objective of this
kind of features is to inform the reader – more likely
to deliver details about relevant issues.
Secondary emphasis is to entertain.
A “how-to” feature article – a type of feature article
that focuses on the process of how things came
about. This might be a product, services or activity.

6. QUALITIES OF GOOD WRITERS
 Be considerate for your readers
 Investigation:
A good writer is highly investigative
in his approach. He seeks to find out at minimum
the answers to the
following questions: Who, What, Where, When,
Why, How

7.  Dream and reality:
A good writer knows the communication reality. He
strongly believes that a message sent is not a message
received. A message's success depends upon the fulfillment of the following points
 Social Contact
 The persons who are communicating have to be in touch with each
 other
 Common Medium
 Both parties must share a common language or means of
 communication.
 Transmission
 The message has to be imparted clearly.
 Understanding
 The message has to be received, properly understood and interpreted

8.  Know internal biases and shape
perceptions:
They try to find the resistance of
their readers. For this they
collect all information about their
readers and then prepare a game plan.

9.  Persuasive:
Good writers are strong communicators. They have the art of
strong oral and written communication
skills. They use the rhetorical devices to exhibit standard
behavior to influence their readers. They know
that all readers want strong ethics and morality on
the part of the writer, cooperation, goodwill, efficiency,
trust etc. and, they exhibit the same virtues

10. Editorial Writing

11. Writing an Editorial. An editorial is an
article that presents the newspaper's opinion
on an issue. It reflects the majority vote of
the editorial board, the governing body of
the newspaper made up of editors and
business managers.

12. Types of Editorial
 Editorial of Information – it seeks to give information on facts of news
stories or add other facts with minimum explanation. It may define
terms, identify persons or factors or provide a background.
 Editorial of Interpretation – It explains the significance or meaning of
a news event, current idea, condition, or situation, theory, or
hypothesis. The writer doesn’t argue nor criticize, but merely present
both sides of an issue and leaves the judgment to the reader. It merely
interprets, say for example, the content of a new memorandum issued
by the principal.
 Editorial of Criticism – It points out the good or the bad features of a
problem or situation mentioned in the news. Its purpose is to influence
the reader. It suggests a solution at the end.

13.  Editorial of Commendation, Appreciation, or Tribute – It praises,
commends, or pays tribute to a person or organization that has performed
some worthwhile projects or deeds, or accomplishments.
 Editorial of Argumentation – This is oftentimes called editorial of
persuasion. The editor argues in order to convince or persuade the reader to
accept his stand on the issue.
 Editorial of entertainment – It evokes a smile, a chuckle, laughter, while
suggesting truth. Its main aim is to entertain. It is usually short.
 Mood editorial – It presents a philosophy rather than an argument or an
explanation. Oftentimes, the subject matter is nature or emotion.
 Special occasion – it explains the significance of a special day or occasion.

14. Writing Columns

15. COLUMN
 Columns, like features, come in many forms.
They are defined by ownership; the column
"belongs" to its author who has that ultimate
journalistic luxury, a slot, guaranteed space
over which he or she presides and has, in
some cases, near total control over content.

16.  Writing a column requires clarity of thought, the ability to
communicate a message clearly and simply, and an
engaging style.
 The column must be planned so that the writer knows
before he or she starts just what they are going to say.
There must not be too many ideas (two or three will
usually suffice), but plenty of opinions; the bland, obvious
or fence-sitting must be ruthlessly expunged. Columns are
there to get a reaction - agreement, disagreement,
amusement, enlightenment.

17. PURPOSE AND FUNCTION
 Friendly atmosphere
It is the objective of the column-writing to make a friendly and
amicable atmosphere, without any intermediary between
the direct contacts with the columnist. The readers feel a newness, freshness a
nd friendliness in the writing and reading of columns of diverse nature.
 Essence of Experience
The columnists undertake to mingle their life-long experience
and knowledge in their columns, in friendly tones and
amicable atmosphere. The columnists mold and mobilize the readers to sustain
a fair amount of desirability to go through the columns.
 True genuine public opinion
To enrich their knowledge, information and to form a
strong habit for reference, cross-reference and
repeated consultation are carried out. A
personal column based on wisdom and worldly and religious
knowledge assists the columnists for true and genuine public opinion.

18.  Individuality
The tinge of personal
and individual inclination is predominant present in the column-
writing. We usually notice few names of columnists
in all the newspapers and periodicals, whose columns enjoy popular
approval. Their writings and
sayings are given proper importance and weight due
to individuality and personal address.
 Propagation of supreme values
Mainly current affairs and the issues of
the times are the subjects of these columns. The art and the
demands of the column-
writing are to present the issues by detailed explanation and explanatio
n.

19. QUALITIES OF A COLUMN WRITER
 Personal
A columnist must possess some qualities at the
personal level, as these are essential for him to be known
as a better individual as well.
 Professional
Someone with just personal qualities is never a successful
professional, until he possesses certain
qualities, which are a must for any professional.

20. Highly Educated
It is a fact that not all columnists are well-
read or educated. In Urdu journalism, we find that there ar
e many columnists who are not highly well
qualified, but with the passage of time, they have mastered
the traits of columnists and they are now heavily paid by
the newspapers.

21.  Widely Read
Reading is a must for every one, but for a columnist, reading of almost all subjects is
a necessity because
knowing everything around him and mastering one can do. One subject,
he must know it thoroughly
because a columnist acts as a preacher-cum-
opinion maker; hence he must know things to put them in a proper perspective.
 Well-versed in Language
Good command of the language is also a must for a columnist, whereas a reporter or
an editor can do with
simple language, but a columnist has to play with words
to create humour, situation, criticism, argument
and conclusion. So it
is very important for a writer to present ideas in better language. For columnists, it
is a must that they write in the best language.

22. Sense of humor
Humour makes a columnist popular, but it is
a must for him that he never uses gross language or dirty
jokes. Some columnists, mostly of
the Urdu newspapers and English rarely, use jokes but to good avail.
Actually, in
the process, they are making comparisons, which is again popular with Urdu colum
nists.
Good sense of humour making the column looks softer in its outlook.
Quality reporter
A columnist has qualities of a good reporter, as City diary or personal columns
cannot be based on news
items. The columnists move around and look at
the society besides seeing through the news to get insight.
Moreover, they are also looking for a scoop and think and probe like a reporter, whi
le analyzing things
like a columnist.

23. Complete knowledge about laws and ethics of journalism
Huge responsibilities are on a columnist' shoulders, when he
is writing. He knows the laws, and keeps
journalistic ethics in mind besides never relegating the editorial p
olicy to redundancy.
A responsible columnist never creates a problem for the editors
by being oblivious to the above.
He also knows the readers well, and always give due respect to th
eir religious feelings and nationalistic sentiments.

24. TYPES OF COLUMNS
Reporting-in-Depth Columns
Background, perspective,
and interpretation are given to various happenings, usuall
y already presented in
hard news. In these columns, current news events are rela
ted to the past and also to the future.
"I Think" or Opinionated Columns
Either because of extensive training, long time observatio
ns, or sheer lack of modesty, Columnists set
themselves up as experts
and then expound their opinions for the
general public. They try to compensate
in heat for what they cannot provide in light.

25.  Gossip Columns
Everybody likes to learn a juicy bit of gossip. One whole field of column writing is built on this
characteristic. Such a column contains little except its unquestionably titillating value; this needs not
be
the writer's exclusive domain. The uncovering of a government scandal may have profound (and
beneficial) ramifications. No daily newspaper carries a gossip column and its natural habit is the film
magazine, which flourishes on gossip, some malicious, some harmless but unquestionably titillating.
 Humorous Columns
Columnist tries to find the humorous aspects in life to amuse readers. Sometimes, these
spotlight an event more clearly than thousands of words
of expounding and explaining. Many papers still shy of having
regular daily humorous column. Columns are much liked, which contain some satirical comments.
Many papers still shy
of having regular daily humorous column. However these columns are much liked,
which contain some satirical comments.

26.  Essay Columns
Just as nature and color editorials have
appeal for many a metropolitan daily editor, so the columnist,
who arouses a similar nostalgia and mood in his writing, attracts attention.
These require perceptiveness
or possibly just and overpowering interest in people. All authors
do not possess this.
 Personality Diary Columns
The Diary columns come from public figures, who are talking about their int
eresting incidents with
others.

27. How- to-do or Advice Columns
These educate the readers, as there is
a gentle instruction written in such a way as not to appear to be a
lesson. These columns usually appear on magazine and daily pages.
Sports Column
There was a time when some leading newspapers had their daily sports columns
, but this is getting to be
rarer these days. However, event-based article-cum-
columns are there. Some newspapers try to make-up
for the dearth this way. Perhaps it is still a field less trodden
Question and Answer Column
This column comes in various colors. It could be
a medical column in which a qualified doctor answers
queries on health.
Standard Column
This type of column handles editorial subjects of lesser importance and deals w
ith each in a paragraph or
two. They are unsigned and are frequently the work of two or
more members of the editorial staff.
Outstanding columns in this category are `Topics of the Times" in
the New York Times.

28.  Political columns
These are an extension of the Standard Column, but it is considered of very serious nature. This is
especially done in pursuance of the Editorial policy of the newspaper, and these are considered to
be one
of the most-read columns
 The Middle Column
The `middle' is so-called because it occupies a position on the editorial page between
the main article and
the standard column. Its sole purpose is to lighten what could otherwise be serious reading, which an
editorial page normally is and is expected to be. It is generally humorous and in any event it should be
entertaining and is usually written in a lighter vein. In length it is about 500 words and the more off-
beat
it is the better.
 The Hodge-Podge Column
Here the columnist presents to his reader a Hodge Podge of stuff a little or no consequence on the
principle that variety is not only the spice of life but a sure formula to catch reader's interest.

29.  Editorial Column
It is properly called the signed editorial column. In it
we find what resembles an editorial in form, but an
editorial so palpably personal that it is a cross between an editorial and
a column. When an editor writes a
piece under his own name he is trying to lay his prestige on the line.
 Specialized Columns
These types of columns are generally limited and confined to a single subject
or topic, with the underlying
purpose to render better and detailed service to the subject
or topic under study and examination. It may
be confined to a single department of life or learning. Specialized Columns are arranged
in accordance
with the circumstances.
 Miscellaneous Columns
These mainly comprise of commentary and criticism on books, Criticism columns on films and
theatre,
columns on performance in sports, columns on the study of the impending and actual changes in the
different walks of life

30. SPORTS WRITING

31. Sports journalism is a form of writing that reports
on sporting topics and games. While the sports department
within some newspapers has been mockingly called the toy
department, because sports journalists do not concern
themselves with the 'serious' topics covered by the news desk,
sports coverage has grown in importance as sport has grown
in wealth, power and influence.

32. The Lead
 The lead of your story should include the final score and some
details about what made the game interesting. Generally this
means focusing on the efforts of an individual player.
Let’s say a team’s star athlete is injured and a previously
unheralded player comes into the game as a substitute. Not much
is expected of this rookie but he defies expectations and plays a
great game, leading the team to victory.

33.  The Body of the Story
The body of your story should basically elaborate on the lead. If
your lead was about the benchwarmer becoming the game’s
star, then the body should go into more detail about that. Often
a simple chronological account works best.
 The Wrap Up
The wrap up or ending of your story usually centers on quotes
from the coach and players gleaned from post-game interviews
or press conferences. Getting great quotes for sports stories can
sometimes be tough – coaches and athletes often speak in
clichés – but a snappy quote can really be the icing on the cake
of your game story.

34. ELEMENTS OF SPORTS WRITING
 Writing - The way a piece is written is the most important aspect. No
matter how interesting the story is, it will be impossible for the
reader to follow or enjoy the piece if it is not presented in a clear and
coherent manner. This is how I feel about the ‘work’ of a lot of
amateur bloggers out there, who clearly have no formal training in
journalism, and sometimes in basic grammar!
 Interesting story -This is a very subjective category. What is
interesting to one person is not necessarily interesting to another.

35.  Good quotes/interviews - Good quotes and interviews are
extremely important aspects of sports articles. Serious sports fans
already know much of the narrative material of the article, and it
is the access that journalists have to get quotes and interviews
that readers crave.