Publicity, News, and News Terms
Publicity and news coverage are shaped by both strategic communication efforts and the mechanics of journalism. From angles, attribution, and beats to deadlines, formats, and story types, each element influences how information is framed and delivered. News values such as impact, timeliness, and human interest determine what gets covered, while tools like soundbites, visuals, and features affect how stories resonate with audiences. Together, these factors define not just what becomes news, but how it is received and remembered.
Publicity
Publicity
Information about an organization, issue, event, or cause that earns space and/or time in media. As a public relations strategy or tactic, it can be defined as the dissemination of purposefully planned and executed messages to selected media to further the interest of an organization or individual without specific payment to that media.
PR tools and techniques
Check the resources section entitled PR Tools and Tactics, and Tools of the Trade.
Buzz
refers to the excitement caused by a product, celebrity, company, etc. It’s often generated by extensive media coverage.
News and news terms
Actuality
A news report from the scene. It includes ambient or natural sound and may feature statements by an on-scene reporter, witness/participant comments, an interview with a knowledgeable source, etc.
Angle
The approach or perspective from which a news situation or event is viewed or the hook chosen for a story. (See news values)
Assignment
Instruction to a reporter to cover an event.
Attribution
Identification of the source of a fact, judgment, or quotation.
Beat
The specific area (politics, environment, crime, etc.) covered by a particular reporter.
Byline
The writer’s/reporter’s name, usually at the beginning of the news item, story, column, etc.
Bumper
In broadcast, a brief item or transitional device used between segments of a program such as a newscast. It can be as simple as “we’ll return after these messages.”
Column
An opinion piece written by a staff or syndicated columnist. Many columnists are published on a regular basis.
Copy
Anything written for publication or broadcast.
Copy desk
The desk used by copy editors to read and edit copy as well as write print headlines (if necessary).
Correction
Errors that reach publication are retracted or corrected if they are serious or if someone demands a correction.
Editorial
An opinion piece written by the editorial page editor or a member of the publication’s editorial board.
Guest editorial
An opinion piece written by someone outside the publication who is an expert or has particular insight on an issue, event, or situation.
Embargo
An agreement between the media and the source not to use a story until an agreed-upon date/time.
Endmark
A symbol (usually -30-) used at the end of news copy and news releases to indicate “the end.”
Exclusive
A story only one reporter or small group of reporters has obtained.
Flag
The printed title of the newspaper on page one. (This often is incorrectly called the masthead.)
Flare
The main story on page one. Also known as a splash.
Graphics
All visual materials such as charts, graphs, photographs, etc.
Jump
To continue a story from one page to another.
Jump head
The headline, using the same words as in the jump line, on the continuation of a jumped story.
Jump line
A line inserted where the jump occurs to direct the reader to the rest of the story.
Kill
Pulling a story at any stage of the process. A story may be killed before it is even written or it may make it into the news line-up only to be killed later – sometimes at the 11th hour.
Lede
The print story’s opening paragraph.
Lead-in
Introductory comments to a taped or live story on a news event or situation. The lead-in often provides context for the upcoming story.
Line-up
The order in which stories are arranged in a newscast.
Live
A field report, newscast, or other report that is not recorded. Also, any material read on air in real time.
Masthead
The formal statement of the publication’s name, officers, place of publication, and other descriptive information. It usually is printed on the editorial or op-ed page.
Newsbreak
A brief segment with a couple news headlines and/or teasers to encourage viewers or listeners to tune in for the complete newscast.
News bulletin
A brief story on an important and often breaking news event that may cut into regular TV or radio programs.
News values
Those factors that determine the newsworthiness of events and situations. Although the following terms may differ from text book to text book and newsroom to newsroom, the essence of each is contained in all.
Impact
Information about events/situations that are likely to affect a significant number of people in the media audience.
Timeliness
Information about events/situations that is appropriate to the audience at the time it is published or aired. It may be timely, seasonal, or tied to a relevant anniversary.
Prominence
Information about events/situations involving well-known personalities or institutions.
Proximity
Information on events/situations occurring in an area covered by a particular media outlet or those that hit “close to home” psychologically with the media audience.
Human interest
Information on events/situations that touch human emotions.
Unusualness
Information about events/situations that deviate sharply from the expected or the ordinary. This may range from a little oddball to the bizarre and everything in between.
Interest
Information about events/situations that are likely to captivate the interest of a large number of people in the media audience.
Op-ed page
In many newspapers, this is the page opposite the editorial page. It can contain staff/syndicated columns, guest editorials, letters to the editor, etc.
Placeline
The placeline (OTTAWA, NORTH BAY, Ont., etc.) identifies the geographical location of where the news event is taking place or the reporter’s base when writing about an event or situation.
Play
The way media covers a story. It may be played up or played down.
Pool
A small group of reporters chosen to cover an event for other reporters when the number allowed is limited by the newsmaker. Sometimes reporters are embedded with participants.
Sidebar
A secondary story that explores an interesting or unusual angle related to the main story.
Simulcast
To broadcast over two facilities at once such as a newscast aired simultaneously on TV and radio (audio only) or on two different TV or radio stations.
Soundbite
A succinct and often catchy message that illustrates or encapsulates a story in just a few seconds.
Source
A person, document, or record that provides information – usually for attribution – that a reporter can use in a story. Sometimes, the reporter may agree not to name the source.
Standup
An on-camera report done by a field reporter. It may be taped or aired live.
Talkback
A brief sequence at the end of a live field report where the anchor chats with the reporter about the story.
Types of news
refers to the kind of information – facts and opinions – that goes into a news story. This information may be hard, soft, or a combination of both.
Hard news
Timely news about relatively serious events and/or situations that are important – whether they know it or not – to a considerable share of the media audience.
Soft news
Not necessarily important or timely, soft news often is based on the news values of human interest, prominence, interest, and unusualness.
Spot news
Also called breaking news, this is information about a current event or situation that is published or aired as soon as possible after it occurs or is available.
Types of news stories
encompasses the kinds of stories found in media.
Breaking story
A story that involves currently happening or impending news (spot news). Details may initially be scarce but are released as soon as they are available.
One-shot story
A story that is published/aired one time only.
Running story
A story that is published/aired for two days or longer.
Update story
A story that provides at least some new information on a story previously in the news.
Round-up story
A summary of a news story that may or may not include any new information. It often relies on several different sources for a wider perspective.
Feature story
Also called a feature, this type of story is more descriptive – and often longer – than regular news stories. Features are not usually tied to timeliness.
Brief
A concise news item, often grouped with other equally brief items that focus mainly on the bare facts (who, what, when, and where) of a story.
Copy story
A brief story or news item read by a TV anchor without any accompanying videotape.
Cover story
In a magazine, the main story featured on the cover. In magazine-style TV programs, it often is the major story.
Kicker
A brief story, usually light, that can be used to end a newscast or segment of a newscast.
Reader
A story read by the radio newscaster without any other audio material.
Voicer
An on-the-spot report by a radio reporter or a TV reporter who does not appear on camera. A voicer also may be done by a source reporting on a breaking story.
Wraparound
In radio, this is the live lead-in and close-out to a taped segment or actuality. In TV news, the reporter on the scene introduces a previously taped report then provides additional information and/or an update.
Lead story
The first story in a newscast.
Wire service
A news service, such as Canadian Press (CP) or Associated Press (AP). Although still called wires, these news services feed their reports to newsroom computers.
Publicity
Publicity
Information about an organization, issue, event, or cause that earns space and/or time in media. As a public relations strategy or tactic, it can be defined as the dissemination of purposefully planned and executed messages to selected media to further the interest of an organization or individual without specific payment to that media.
PR tools and techniques
Check the resources section entitled PR Tools and Tactics, and Tools of the Trade.
Buzz
refers to the excitement caused by a product, celebrity, company, etc. It’s often generated by extensive media coverage.
News and news terms
Actuality
A news report from the scene. It includes ambient or natural sound and may feature statements by an on-scene reporter, witness/participant comments, an interview with a knowledgeable source, etc.
Angle
The approach or perspective from which a news situation or event is viewed or the hook chosen for a story. (See news values)
Assignment
Instruction to a reporter to cover an event.
Attribution
Identification of the source of a fact, judgment, or quotation.
Beat
The specific area (politics, environment, crime, etc.) covered by a particular reporter.
Byline
The writer’s/reporter’s name, usually at the beginning of the news item, story, column, etc.
Bumper
In broadcast, a brief item or transitional device used between segments of a program such as a newscast. It can be as simple as “we’ll return after these messages.”
Column
An opinion piece written by a staff or syndicated columnist. Many columnists are published on a regular basis.
Copy
Anything written for publication or broadcast.
Copy desk
The desk used by copy editors to read and edit copy as well as write print headlines (if necessary).
Correction
Errors that reach publication are retracted or corrected if they are serious or if someone demands a correction.
Editorial
An opinion piece written by the editorial page editor or a member of the publication’s editorial board.
Guest editorial
An opinion piece written by someone outside the publication who is an expert or has particular insight on an issue, event, or situation.
Embargo
An agreement between the media and the source not to use a story until an agreed-upon date/time.
Endmark
A symbol (usually -30-) used at the end of news copy and news releases to indicate “the end.”
Exclusive
A story only one reporter or small group of reporters has obtained.
Flag
The printed title of the newspaper on page one. (This often is incorrectly called the masthead.)
Flare
The main story on page one. Also known as a splash.
Graphics
All visual materials such as charts, graphs, photographs, etc.
Jump
To continue a story from one page to another.
Jump head
The headline, using the same words as in the jump line, on the continuation of a jumped story.
Jump line
A line inserted where the jump occurs to direct the reader to the rest of the story.
Kill
Pulling a story at any stage of the process. A story may be killed before it is even written or it may make it into the news line-up only to be killed later – sometimes at the 11th hour.
Lede
The print story’s opening paragraph.
Lead-in
Introductory comments to a taped or live story on a news event or situation. The lead-in often provides context for the upcoming story.
Line-up
The order in which stories are arranged in a newscast.
Live
A field report, newscast, or other report that is not recorded. Also, any material read on air in real time.
Masthead
The formal statement of the publication’s name, officers, place of publication, and other descriptive information. It usually is printed on the editorial or op-ed page.
Newsbreak
A brief segment with a couple news headlines and/or teasers to encourage viewers or listeners to tune in for the complete newscast.
News bulletin
A brief story on an important and often breaking news event that may cut into regular TV or radio programs.
News values
Those factors that determine the newsworthiness of events and situations. Although the following terms may differ from text book to text book and newsroom to newsroom, the essence of each is contained in all.
Impact
Information about events/situations that are likely to affect a significant number of people in the media audience.
Timeliness
Information about events/situations that is appropriate to the audience at the time it is published or aired. It may be timely, seasonal, or tied to a relevant anniversary.
Prominence
Information about events/situations involving well-known personalities or institutions.
Proximity
Information on events/situations occurring in an area covered by a particular media outlet or those that hit “close to home” psychologically with the media audience.
Human interest
Information on events/situations that touch human emotions.
Unusualness
Information about events/situations that deviate sharply from the expected or the ordinary. This may range from a little oddball to the bizarre and everything in between.
Interest
Information about events/situations that are likely to captivate the interest of a large number of people in the media audience.
Op-ed page
In many newspapers, this is the page opposite the editorial page. It can contain staff/syndicated columns, guest editorials, letters to the editor, etc.
Placeline
The placeline (OTTAWA, NORTH BAY, Ont., etc.) identifies the geographical location of where the news event is taking place or the reporter’s base when writing about an event or situation.
Play
The way media covers a story. It may be played up or played down.
Pool
A small group of reporters chosen to cover an event for other reporters when the number allowed is limited by the newsmaker. Sometimes reporters are embedded with participants.
Sidebar
A secondary story that explores an interesting or unusual angle related to the main story.
Simulcast
To broadcast over two facilities at once such as a newscast aired simultaneously on TV and radio (audio only) or on two different TV or radio stations.
Soundbite
A succinct and often catchy message that illustrates or encapsulates a story in just a few seconds.
Source
A person, document, or record that provides information – usually for attribution – that a reporter can use in a story. Sometimes, the reporter may agree not to name the source.
Standup
An on-camera report done by a field reporter. It may be taped or aired live.
Talkback
A brief sequence at the end of a live field report where the anchor chats with the reporter about the story.
Types of news
refers to the kind of information – facts and opinions – that goes into a news story. This information may be hard, soft, or a combination of both.
Hard news
Timely news about relatively serious events and/or situations that are important – whether they know it or not – to a considerable share of the media audience.
Soft news
Not necessarily important or timely, soft news often is based on the news values of human interest, prominence, interest, and unusualness.
Spot news
Also called breaking news, this is information about a current event or situation that is published or aired as soon as possible after it occurs or is available.
Types of news stories
encompasses the kinds of stories found in media.
Breaking story
A story that involves currently happening or impending news (spot news). Details may initially be scarce but are released as soon as they are available.
One-shot story
A story that is published/aired one time only.
Running story
A story that is published/aired for two days or longer.
Update story
A story that provides at least some new information on a story previously in the news.
Round-up story
A summary of a news story that may or may not include any new information. It often relies on several different sources for a wider perspective.
Feature story
Also called a feature, this type of story is more descriptive – and often longer – than regular news stories. Features are not usually tied to timeliness.
Brief
A concise news item, often grouped with other equally brief items that focus mainly on the bare facts (who, what, when, and where) of a story.
Copy story
A brief story or news item read by a TV anchor without any accompanying videotape.
Cover story
In a magazine, the main story featured on the cover. In magazine-style TV programs, it often is the major story.
Kicker
A brief story, usually light, that can be used to end a newscast or segment of a newscast.
Reader
A story read by the radio newscaster without any other audio material.
Voicer
An on-the-spot report by a radio reporter or a TV reporter who does not appear on camera. A voicer also may be done by a source reporting on a breaking story.
Wraparound
In radio, this is the live lead-in and close-out to a taped segment or actuality. In TV news, the reporter on the scene introduces a previously taped report then provides additional information and/or an update.
Lead story
The first story in a newscast.
Wire service
A news service, such as Canadian Press (CP) or Associated Press (AP). Although still called wires, these news services feed their reports to newsroom computers.