Types of media writing

Types of media writing

Dr. Ved Prakash Bhardwaj

Writing is an art, and this art is not acquired by birth. It is earned through study and practice. Writing for the media is a creative act. Writing for print, electronic and new media has a few things in common. Writing news, features, articles, reviews, interviews, talks, commentary, etc. is a necessity of all types of media. Most of these are not needed for literature, cinema, and theatre. Literature consists of writing poems, stories, novels, essays, etc. Theatrical writing is basically for theatre. For movies, TV serials, there is a need to write the script as well as the story. 

A brief introduction of the genres of different mediums of media is as follows –

1. News Writing

News writing is the most prevalent and important type of media writing. The news means new, unique, and public interest event or information in which the interest of maximum people is expected. The main function of the media is to deliver the news. Daily newspapers, radio, TV channels, social media, websites, etc., prepare and disseminate news. Each medium has its character and requirement and news is written accordingly. The size of news depends on its usefulness and importance.

2. News Analysis

Along with news, news analysis is also used a lot in media writing. News analysis means presenting your views by explaining the effects and consequences of a news story. While the news is descriptive, news analysis is explanatory. In addition to the reporter, the editorial department's journalists or freelance journalists also do the work of writing news analysis.

3. Editorial

Editorial writing has its special significance. An editorial article is published in every newspaper and magazine. For this the place and size in the publication are pre-determined. In the editorial, the editor himself or any of his colleagues on his behalf presents analytical views on any current topic. The editorial is considered the idea and voice of ​​a newspaper or magazine.

4. Feature

Feature journalism is the latest form of journalism. A feature is a verbal picture of a person, place, things, nature, or event that is characterized by emotional sensation and imagination. The basic purpose of a feature is to provide information about the subject to readers, listeners, or viewers, in an interesting way. Featuring facts as well as emotional writing is a key aspect of feature writing. The feature can be on any topic but mostly on topics like lifestyle, culture, tourism, nature, education, etc. We can say that feature writing is an expression based on feeling which has the base of reality

5. Interview

Interviewing is a major and influential discipline in journalism. The person related to him is interviewed on a current topic. Very often the news includes comments from some people who are part of the interview itself. Interviews are not only in newspapers or magazines, they are also used in electronic media and digital media.

6. Articles

After news and features, newspapers and magazines have the largest number of articles published. There are two types of articles, informative and conceptual. Today articles are written on education, personality development, fashion, technology, health, etc. whose character is descriptive or informative. Apart from this, opinion-oriented articles are published on the editorial page and other pages. Such articles are explanatory.

7. Advertisement

Advertising is an important part of business journalism. It gives specific information about an object or message to society. Advertising is used to change a person's attitude towards a particular thing in a positive way. Advertisement is used by the government to make its policies, plans and achievements reach the public. Advertising is used by commercial organizations to give information about services and goods.

8. Review

Review writing means the analysis of any written and published material. In general, reviews are more in literature, such as book reviews. Along with this film, reviews are also done. In journalism, along with this news, government policies, schemes, etc. are also reviewed. In the review, we evaluate the merits and demerits of the given topic.

9. Discussion (Paricharcha or Group Discussion)

The discussion has a special place in journalism. There was a time when newspapers and magazines used to present the views of different people about a topic. Now its trend has reduced but it is still in practice in literary magazines. A changed form of the discussion appears on TV which we call talk shows. Through this, the opinion of the people on an important subject is brought to the society, from which public opinion is formed.

10. Column 

Column writing in newspapers and magazines means writing articles on a particular topic by a journalist or author at regular intervals or in each issue. In a column, the author writes his thoughts on a topic. For column writing, the place and its limit are fixed in the publication. Editors also write regular columns in many newspapers and magazines.

11. Poem, story, short story, drama, travelogue, etc.

All these are genres of literature that are used in various media. Their publication is more in newspapers and magazines. There are also programs in these genres on the radio. Some TV channels also telecast the story etc. The story, song, etc. is written in cinema. The presence of creative genres in the form of the broadcast of stories and drama in radio and various serials in television has opened up various opportunities for those working in the literary field.

Apart from the above-mentioned genres, writing work is also done in the genres like electronic talk, serial, feature, etc.