Journalism and News Writing Basics

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering essential journalism concepts and news writing basics.

Where

Refers to the venue or location of an event.

Why

Refers to the purpose or objectives of an event.

How

Refers to the means by which an event occurs.

Straight News

Also known as Hard News; It succinctly reports essential information of timely events concisely and impartially.

Inverted Pyramid Structure

A style of writing in journalism that presents the most important information first.

The Lead

The first paragraph in a straight news story, crucial for conveying essential details.

Summary Lead

A type of lead that contains the 5 Ws and 1 H, focusing on the most basic details of a story.

5 Ws and 1 H

Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How; the critical components for news reporting.

Who Lead

A summary lead type that emphasizes prominent people, speakers, or organizations involved.

What Lead

A summary lead type that focuses on the type or title of the event.

When Lead

A summary lead type indicating the time of the event; rarely used.

Where Lead

A summary lead type indicating the location; rarely used.

Why Lead

A summary lead type focusing on the purpose of the event.

How Lead

A summary lead type explaining the means of how the event occurred.

Dateline

A notation in journalism style guides indicating when and where a story was produced.

Headline Writing

The process of creating clear and concise titles for news articles.

S-TV-DO format

Subject-Transitive Verb-Object; the standard structure for straight news headlines.

Active Verbs

Verbs that convey action and are used in present tense in headlines.

Body and Tail

Sections of a news article that include highlights, quotes, and information about the event.

Visual Storytelling

The composition techniques used by photographers to create compelling images.

Rule of Thirds

A composition technique where the subject is placed at intersections within a frame.

Leading Lines

Techniques used in photography to draw attention to a particular subject.

Texture

An element that emphasizes details and features in a photograph.

Perspective

The sense of depth or spatial relationships in a photograph.

Pattern

The use of repeated elements to create harmony in an image.

Color

An element that attracts viewers and sets the mood of the image.

Framing

The technique of surrounding the main subject in a photograph to create depth.

Fill the Frame

A technique where the photographer gets close to the subject to fill the image with it.

Depth of Field

The focus area of an image defining the foreground and background.

Long Shot (LS)

A camera shot that provides a broad view of a scene from a distance.

Medium Shot (MS)

A camera shot that captures the subject at a middle distance with some background.

Close-Up Shot (CU)

A camera shot that offers a detailed view of a subject or action from a short distance.

Extreme Close-Up Shot (ECU)

A shot tightly framing the subject at a large scale.

Normal Angle (NA)

An eye-level shot that feels natural.

Low Angle (LA)

A shot taken below the subject making it appear larger.

High Angle (HA)

A shot taken from above the subject, making it appear smaller.

Caption

A creative title for a photo description written in bold and usually all caps.

Cutline

A statement describing the image in a photo and providing additional information.

Photo Editing (Professional)

Uses tools like Photoshop or Lightroom for professional photo adjustments.

General Desktop Editing

Editing options like Pixlr for general photo manipulation.

Smartphone Editing

Applications like Snapseed for editing photos on mobile devices.

Content Aware

An editing tool used to remove unwanted elements from a photo.

Healing Tool

A photo editing feature that repairs image defects or creates smooth textures.

Clone Tool

An editing tool used to replicate areas of an image.

Cropping

Removing parts of an image to improve its composition.

Adjustments in Photo Editing

Alterations made to light, color, effects, and detail in photos.

Flipping and Rotating

Techniques to change the direction of an image.

Dimension and Aspect Ratio

Refers to the size and proportions of printed images.

Hashtags

Labels used in social media posts to categorize and allow easier access.

Campaign Hashtags

Unique identifiers for specific events or causes for better audience engagement.

Archiving Hashtags

Grouping content with similar themes or purposes for easy retrieval.

Connecting with Similar Content

Allows users to engage with related topics through hashtags.

News Feature

A timely news story blending traditional reporting with creative storytelling elements.

Descriptive Lead

A type of lead that vividly describes an aspect of the news story.

Anecdotal Lead

A narrative lead that tells a brief story related to the news.

Quotation Lead

A lead that starts with a relevant quote to grab attention.

Question Lead

A lead that poses a question to pique reader interest.

Punch Lead

A one-liner that captures the essence of the story succinctly.

Other Forms of Featured News

Includes personality profiles, lists, trivia, and vox populi.

Definition of Journalism

The activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information.

Purpose of Journalism

To provide citizens with the information they need for self-governance.

Agenda-Setting

The media's role in influencing the public's perception of social problems.

Walter Lippmann

Journalist who compared the press to a searchlight, illuminating societal issues.

Significance of Agenda-Setting

Ensures resources are allocated to pressing social issues.

Development Journalism

Journalism that aims to include the voices of marginalized or rural populations.

Evolution of Development Journalism

Shift from economic development focus in the '60s to sustainable development today.

Nation-Building Approach

Advocates journalism should promote social stability and national economy.

Government Partners Perspective

Supports press freedom in line with national interests of development.

Watchdog Perspective

Calls for the press to monitor government performance for transparency.

Agents of Empowerment Perspective

Holds journalism should empower ordinary citizens in the development process.

Community Journalism

A form of journalism that emphasizes local news and community issues.

Beat Reporting

Specialized reporting focused on a specific development issue over time.

Participatory Development Journalism

Allows community involvement in the news production process.

Data Journalism for Development

Uses data analysis to enhance stories about development challenges.

Los Baños Style of Journalism

Focuses on community issues with a bias towards the poor.

Relevance of DevJourn

Avoids sensationalism; strives for factual and relevant reporting.

Program Genesis

Initiative aimed to develop a network of community newspapers.

Los Baños Times

A community multimedia news platform and educational resource.

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines

An organization working to protect the interests of Filipino journalists.

Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility

A non-profit organization promoting responsible journalism.

Philippine Press Institute

An institution to uphold responsible reporting and ethical journalism.

Journalist's Code of Ethics

Set of principles guiding journalists in proper conduct and reporting.

Plagiarism in Journalism

The unethical act of using another's work without proper attribution.

Presumption of Innocence

Assuming individuals accused of a crime are innocent until proven guilty.

Dignity in Journalism

Maintaining professionalism and integrity while conducting journalistic duties.

Nora C. Quebral

A key figure in Development Communication who began her career in Agricultural Journalism.

Master's Degree in Agricultural Journalism

Nora C. Quebral earned her MS in Agricultural Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Juan F. Jamias

An advocate for specialized reporting in development, focusing on areas like Science, Technology, Food, Agriculture, Environment, Economy, and Consumerism.

Characteristics of Development Journalism (DevJourn)

Includes community/rural focus, purposive intent for social change, relevance, scientific outlook, technical orientation, and an emphasis on processes rather than products.

Madeline M. Suva

Editor of Sandiwa, a fortnightly publication in Filipino, and involved in Program Genesis aimed at expanding community newspapers.

Los Baños Times

Pioneered in 1983 by Crispin C. Maslog, contributing significantly to the field of community press.

Crispin C. Maslog's Publications

He has published over 50 journalism books and worked with various local news outlets across the Philippines.