Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. “The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of criticism.” – Wole Soyinka, Nigerian playwright and poet 354 Journalism: Publishing Across Media Introduction You have been told your opinions should not appear in your news or feature stories or color your reporting or writing. But like most people, you do have opinions and insights. Yours may have special value because you, as a journalist, have access to places, people and information your audience rarely sees. You read widely, including the professional press, and research the background of current issues, including sports, the arts and politics. You are able to evaluate sources, and you are a keen observer. If your writing is informative, insightful and perhaps entertaining, your opinions will matter and your audience will want to read or hear what you write. They may even come to rely on your judgment. Journalists Wear Two Hats Journalists Wear Two Hats Your writing should clearly indicate whether you are expressing opinions or reporting the news. Commentary should never be inserted into news or feature stories. Your audience should know at once which hat you are wearing, the objective journalist’s or the commentator’s. The editorial or opinion section of your publication should be clearly marked. Even casual observers should know this is the place set aside for informed opinions. Opinion podcasts should be labeled as such. Your audience should never wonder whether they are receiving news or Columns—regularly occurring articles— may appear in almost every section of your publication or broadcast, but your audience should not easily confuse them with news. Design elements such as bumper music (short music clips), a different backdrop or set, a different typeface, a drop capital, a different byline style or a label such as Commentary or Review should identify columns that appear in your publication or broadcast (Figure 12.1). (See Chapter 13 for review writing.) The line between news and commentary is important, but the types of commentary will probably evolve as media evolve. Publications may adopt styles for their opinion pieces that blur the differences between the traditional forms of staff editorials and opinion pieces and the newer, online journalistic blogs and columns, but ethical journalists and their publications will never blur the lines between reporting and commentary. Figure 12.1 Set in a column identified as “Opinion” with “Our View” beneath, it’s hard to confuse this staff editorial with news. How does your school publication distinguish between news articles and opinion pieces? b e la won ccommentary.mo ma pu sho De m di by R in ( c p p Courtesy of The Evanstonian, Evanston Township High School