essay on news articles

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My family’s daily struggle to find food in gaza.

In my homeland, where we used to cook and celebrate together, my relatives are eating animal feed to keep from starving.

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Can ukraine still win.

As Congress continues to delay aid and Volodymyr Zelensky replaces his top commander, military experts debate the possible outcomes.

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When your own book gets caught up in the censorship wars.

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My family and the monterey park shooter.

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March 30, 2024 • "Weekend Edition Saturday" host Scott Simon shares his perspective on news and events both large and small.

Judge Alla Nazarova attends a hearing in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation in Moscow on Nov. 25, 2021. Dmitry Serebryakov/AP hide caption

Opinion: Russian Jehovah's Witnesses remain devout despite facing bans

March 30, 2024 • Russia's ban on Jehovah's Witnesses has led to raids, arrests and imprisonment. NPR's Scott Simon says that the religion the Russian government calls "extreme" would be better described as "devout."

A bowl of stickers is set out for voter March 15, 2020, in Steubenville, Ohio Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press hide caption

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Shots - Health News

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Wherein lies the snub? Barbie has been nominated for eight Oscars. Warner Bros. Pictures hide caption

Oscars 2024

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Opinion: No taxpayer handouts for pro stadiums

March 2, 2024 • With several sports teams looking to taxpayers to fund the construction of new stadiums, NPR's Scott Simon wonders how those public funds could be spent elsewhere.

Former Illinois Secretary of State Paul Powell made headlines for the $800,000 in cash stuffed in shoeboxes found when he died. For more than half a century, a Powell-established $250,000 trust sustained his legacy. But the account that maintained his birthplace as a museum will soon run dry. AP hide caption

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Goats and Soda

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Undark magazine.

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Global wishes for 2024: Pay for family leave. Empower Black men. Respect rural voices

January 4, 2024 • We asked leaders in global health and development to share their wishes for the new year. Here's what they hope will happen in the year ahead. And readers, we'd like to hear from you.

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How to Write a News Article

Last Updated: January 13, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Gerald Posner . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,374,949 times.

Writing a news article is different from writing other articles or informative pieces because news articles present information in a specific way. It's important to be able to convey all the relevant information in a limited word count and give the facts to your target audience concisely. Knowing how to write a news article can help a career in journalism , develop your writing skills and help you convey information clearly and concisely.

Things You Should Know

• Outline your article with all the facts and interview quotes you’ve gathered. Decide what your point of view on the topic is before you start writing.
• Your first sentence is the most important one—craft an attention-getter that clearly states the most important information.
• Proofread for accurate information, consistent style and tone, and proper formatting.

Sample Articles

Planning Your Article

• If you’ve ever written a research paper you understand the work that goes into learning about your topic. The first phase of writing a news article or editorial is pretty similar.
• Who - who was involved?
• What - what happened?
• Where - where did it happen?
• Why - why did it happen?
• When - when did it happen?
• How - how did it happen?

• 1) those that need to be included in the article.
• 2) those that are interesting but not vital.
• 3) those that are related but not important to the purpose of the article.
• This fact list will help prevent you from leaving out any relevant information about the topic or story, and will also help you write a clean, succinct article.
• Be as specific as possible when writing down all of these facts. You can always trim down unnecessary information later, but it’s easier to cut down than it is to have to beef up an article.
• It’s okay at this point to have holes in your information – if you don’t have a pertinent fact, write down the question and highlight it so you won’t forget to find it out
• Now that you have your facts, if your editor has not already assigned the type of article, decide what kind of article you’re writing. Ask yourself whether this is an opinion article, an unbiased and straightforward relaying of information, or something in between. [2] X Research source

• If you’ve ever heard the term “burying the lead”, that is in reference to the structure of your article. [4] X Research source The “lead” is the first sentence of the article – the one you “lead” with. Not "burying the lead" simply means that you should not make your readers read several paragraphs before they get to the point of your article.
• Whatever forum you’re writing for, be it print or for the web, a lot of readers don’t make it to the end of the article. When writing a news article, you should focus on giving your readers what they want as soon as possible.
• Write above the fold. The fold comes from newspapers where there’s a crease because the page gets folded in half. If you look at a newspaper all the top stories are placed above the fold. The same goes for writing online. The virtual fold is the bottom of your screen before you have to scroll down. Put the best information at the top to engage your readers and encourage them to keep reading.

• Ask yourself the “5 W's” again, but this time in relation to your audience.
• Questions like what is the average age you are writing for, where is this audience, local or national, why is this audience reading your article, and what does your audience want out of your article will inform you on how to write.
• Once you know who you are writing for you can format an outline that will get the best information to the right audience as quickly as possible.

• Even if you are covering a popular story or topic that others are writing about, look for an angle that will make this one yours.
• Do you have a personal experience that relates to your topic? Maybe you know someone who is an expert that you can interview .

• People usually like to talk about personal experiences, especially if it will be featured somewhere, like your news article. Reach out through a phone call, email, or even social media and ask someone if you can interview them.
• When you do interview people you need to follow a few rules: identify yourself as a reporter. Keep an open mind . Stay objective. While you are encouraged to ask questions and listen to anecdotes, you are not there to judge.
• Record and write down important information from the interview, and be transparent with what you are doing and why you are doing this interview.

Writing Your News Article

• Your lead should be one sentence and should simply, but completely, state the topic of the article.
• Remember when you had to write essays for school? Your lead is like your thesis statement.
• Let your readers know what your news article is about, why it’s important, and what the rest of the article will contain.

• These details are important, because they are the focal point of the article that fully informs the reader.
• If you are writing an opinion piece , this is where you will state what your opinion is as well.

• This additional information helps round out the article and can help you transition to new points as you move along.
• If you have an opinion, this is where you will identify the opposing views and the people who hold them.
• A good news article will outline facts and information. A great news article will allow readers to engage on an emotional level.
• To engage your readers, you should provide enough information that anyone reading your news article can make an informed opinion, even if it contrasts with yours.
• This also applies to a news article where you the author don’t state your opinion but present it as an unbiased piece of information. Your readers should still be able to learn enough about your topic to form an opinion.

• Make sure your news article is complete and finished by giving it a good concluding sentence. This is often a restatement of the leading statement (thesis) or a statement indicating potential future developments relating to the article topic.
• Read other news articles for ideas on how to best accomplish this. Or, watch news stations or shows. See how a news anchor will wrap up a story and sign off, then try to emulate that.

Proofing Your Article

• Be sure to double check all the facts in your news article before you submit it, including names, dates, and contact information or addresses. Writing accurately is one of the best ways to establish yourself as a competent news article writer.

• If your news article is meant to convey direct facts, not the opinions of its writer, ensure you’ve kept your writing unbiased and objective. Avoid any language that is overly positive or negative or statements that could be construed as support or criticism.
• If your article is meant to be more in the style of interpretive journalism then check to make sure that you have given deep enough explanations of the larger story and offered multiple viewpoints throughout.

• When quoting someone, write down exactly what was said inside quotations and immediately cite the reference with the person’s proper title. Formal titles should be capitalized and appear before a person’s name. Ex: “Mayor John Smith”.
• Always write out numbers one through nine, but use numerals for numbers 10 and up.
• When writing a news article, be sure to only include one space after a period, not two. [12] X Research source

• You shouldn’t submit any news article for publication without first letting someone take a look at it. An extra pair of eyes can double check your facts and the information to ensure that what you have written is accurate.
• If you are writing a news article for school or your own personal website, then have a friend take a look at it and give you notes. Sometimes you may get notes that you want to defend or don’t agree with it. But these should be listened to. Remember, with so many news articles getting published every minute you need to ensure that your widest possible audience can easily digest the information you have provided.

Expert Q&A

• Start with research and ask the “5. Asking these questions will help you create an outline and a narrative to your article. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Interview people, and remember to be polite and honest about what you are writing. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Put the most important information at the beginning of your article. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about writing an article, check out our in-depth interview with Gerald Posner .

• ↑ https://libguides.mit.edu/select-topic
• ↑ https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/writing-resources/different-genres/news-writing-fundamentals
• ↑ https://libguides.southernct.edu/journalism/howtowrite
• ↑ https://spcollege.libguides.com/c.php?g=254319&p=1695313
• ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/cm360
• ↑ https://mediahelpingmedia.org/basics/how-to-find-and-develop-important-news-angles/
• ↑ https://www.northwestern.edu/brand/editorial-guidelines/newswriting-guidelines/
• ↑ https://tacomacc.libguides.com/c.php?g=599051&p=4147190
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/journalism_and_journalistic_writing/ap_style.html
• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/punctuation/space-after-period
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

To write a news article, open with a strong leading sentence that states what the article is about and why it’s important. Try to answer the questions who, what, where, when, and why as early in the article as possible. Once you’ve given the reader the most important facts, you can include any additional information to help round out the article, such as opposing views or contact information. Finish with a strong concluding sentence, such as an invitation to learn more or a statement indicating future developments. For tips on researching your article, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a News Article That's Effective

It's similar to writing academic papers, but with vital differences

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• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

Techniques for writing a news article differ from those needed for academic papers. Whether you're interested in writing for a school newspaper, fulfilling a requirement for a class, or seeking a writing job in journalism, you'll need to know the difference. To write like a real reporter, consider this guide for how to write a news article.

Choose Your Topic

First, you must decide what to write about. Sometimes an editor or instructor will give you assignments, but you’ll often have to find your own topics to cover.

If you get to choose your topic, you might be able to pick a subject related to your personal experience or family history, which would give you a strong framework and a dose of perspective. However, this route means you must work to avoid bias—you may have strong opinions that could affect your conclusions. You also could pick a topic that revolves around a personal interest, such as your favorite sport.

Research for Your News Article

Even if you end up with a topic close to your heart, you should begin with research, using books and articles that will give you a full understanding of the subject. Go to the library and find background information about people, organizations, and events you intend to cover.

Next, interview a few people to collect more information and quotes that give perspective on the topic. Don't be intimidated by the idea of interviewing important or newsworthy people—an interview can be as formal or informal as you want to make it, so relax and have fun with it. Find people with backgrounds in the topic and strong opinions, and carefully write down or record their responses for accuracy. Let the interviewees know that you will be quoting them.

Parts of a News Article

Before you write your first draft, you should be aware of the parts that make up a news story:

Headline or title

The headline  of your article should be catchy and to the point. You should punctuate your title using Associated Press style guidelines unless your publication specifies something else. Other members of the publication staff frequently write the headlines, but this will help focus your thoughts and maybe save those other staffers some time.

• "Lost dog finds his way home"
• "Debate tonight in Jasper Hall"
• "Panel chooses 3 essay winners"

The byline is the name of the writer—your name, in this case.

Lead (sometimes written "lede")

The lead is the first sentence or paragraph, written to provide a preview of the entire article. It summarizes the story and includes many of the basic facts. The lead will help readers decide if they want to read the rest of the news article or if they are satisfied knowing these details.

Once you’ve set the stage with a good lead, follow up with a well-written story that contains facts from your research and quotes from people you’ve interviewed. The article should not contain your opinions. Detail any events in chronological order. Use the active voice —not passive voice —when possible, and write in clear, short, direct sentences.

In a news article, you should use the inverted pyramid format—putting the most critical information in the early paragraphs and following with supporting information. This ensures that the reader sees the important details first. Hopefully they'll be intrigued enough to continue to the end.

The sources

Include your sources in the body with the information and quotes they provide. This is different from academic papers, where you would add these at the end of the piece.

Your conclusion can be your last bit of information, a summary, or a carefully chosen quote to leave the reader with a strong sense of your story.

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50 Expert Tips: Writing an Essay on News Articles & Past History - 2024

Here are 10 important statistics to consider when writing an essay on news articles and past history:

• Over 80% of people rely on news articles as their primary source of information.
• Historical events shape the present and future, making it crucial to understand past history.
• News articles provide valuable insights into current events and help us make informed decisions.
• Approximately 70% of news articles are read on mobile devices.
• Understanding the context and background of news articles is essential for accurate analysis.
• Over 60% of people believe that studying past history helps prevent repeating mistakes.
• News articles often reflect societal trends and can be used as evidence in academic essays .
• Historical analysis allows us to gain a deeper understanding of human behavior and motivations.
• News articles provide a platform for diverse perspectives and opinions.
• Studying past history helps develop critical thinking and analytical skills.

1. Understanding the Essay Prompt

When writing an essay on news articles and past history, it is crucial to thoroughly understand the essay prompt. Analyze the keywords and identify the main focus of the essay. This will help you structure your essay and ensure that you address the key points effectively.

Example where I'm using AtOnce's AI SEO optimizer to rank higher on Google without wasting hours on research:

Key Points:

Understand the essay prompt, analyze keywords, identify the main focus.

2. Conducting In-Depth Research

Before starting your essay, conduct in-depth research on the news articles and past history related to your topic. Utilize reliable sources such as academic journals , books, and reputable news outlets. Take notes and gather relevant information to support your arguments and provide a comprehensive analysis.

Conduct in-depth research, utilize reliable sources, take notes, gather relevant information.

3. Analyzing the News Articles

Analyze the news articles you are referencing in your essay. Look for key details, such as the author's perspective, the intended audience, and any biases present. Consider the context in which the article was written and how it relates to the broader historical narrative. This analysis will help you critically evaluate the information and form well-supported arguments.

Analyze news articles, identify author's perspective, consider biases, evaluate information.

4. Examining the Historical Context

Examine the historical context surrounding the news articles. Understand the events, people, and societal factors that influenced the time period in which the articles were written. This examination will provide a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and allow you to make connections between past and present events.

Examine historical context, understand events and societal factors, make connections.

5. Developing a Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement is essential for a well-written essay. It should clearly state your main argument or position and provide a roadmap for the rest of your essay. Make sure your thesis statement is specific, concise, and supported by evidence from the news articles and past history.

Develop a strong thesis statement, state main argument, provide evidence.

6. Organizing Your Essay Structure

Organize your essay structure in a logical and coherent manner. Start with an introduction that provides background information and introduces your thesis statement. Divide the body of your essay into paragraphs, each focusing on a specific point or argument. Conclude your essay by summarizing your main points and restating your thesis statement.

Organize essay structure, include introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

7. Using Proper Citations and Referencing

When referencing news articles and past history, it is crucial to use proper citations and referencing. Follow the citation style specified by your instructor, such as APA or MLA. This ensures that you give credit to the original sources and avoid plagiarism.

Use proper citations, follow citation style guidelines , avoid plagiarism.

8. Incorporating Different Perspectives

Incorporate different perspectives into your essay to provide a well-rounded analysis. Consider viewpoints that may differ from your own and address counterarguments. This demonstrates critical thinking and shows that you have considered multiple angles of the topic.

Incorporate different perspectives, consider counterarguments, demonstrate critical thinking.

9. Proofreading and Editing

Proofread and edit your essay before submitting it. Check for grammar and spelling errors, ensure proper sentence structure, and refine your arguments for clarity and coherence. Reading your essay aloud can help identify any awkward phrasing or unclear statements.

Proofread and edit, check for errors, refine arguments, read aloud for clarity.

Writing an essay on news articles and past history requires careful analysis, in-depth research, and critical thinking. By understanding the essay prompt, conducting thorough research, analyzing news articles, examining historical context, developing a strong thesis statement, organizing your essay structure, using proper citations, incorporating different perspectives, and proofreading and editing, you can create a well-written and insightful essay that effectively addresses the topic at hand.

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How do I write an essay about a news article relating to past history?

To write an essay about a news article relating to past history, start by thoroughly reading and understanding the article. Take note of the key events, people, and historical context mentioned. Then, develop a clear thesis statement that summarizes the main idea or argument of your essay. Use evidence from the article and additional research to support your thesis. Organize your essay into paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect or point related to the article. Finally, conclude your essay by summarizing your main points and offering your own analysis or interpretation of the historical significance of the article.

What are some tips for analyzing a news article about past history?

When analyzing a news article about past history, it is important to consider the credibility and bias of the source. Look for reputable news outlets or scholarly publications that have a track record of accurate reporting. Pay attention to the author's credentials and any potential conflicts of interest. Next, critically evaluate the evidence and arguments presented in the article. Are there any logical fallacies or gaps in the reasoning? Consider the historical context and any relevant background information that may influence the interpretation of the article. Finally, compare the article with other sources to gain a broader perspective and ensure a well-rounded analysis.

Why is it important to write an essay about a news article relating to past history?

Writing an essay about a news article relating to past history is important for several reasons. Firstly, it helps to develop critical thinking and analytical skills by examining and interpreting historical events and their significance. It also allows for a deeper understanding of the past and its impact on the present. Additionally, writing such essays promotes research skills as you gather information from various sources to support your arguments. Lastly, it encourages effective communication by organizing your thoughts and presenting them in a coherent and persuasive manner.

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How to Write a News Story

Newspaper article outline, how to write a news story in 15 steps.

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The Purdue Owl : Journalism and Journalistic Writing: Introduction

From Scholastic: Writing a newspaper article

Article outline

I. Lead sentence

Grab and hook your reader right away.

II. Introduction

Which facts and figures will ground your story? You have to tell your readers where and when this story is happening.

III. Opening quotation 

What will give the reader a sense of the people involved and what they are thinking?

IV. Main body

What is at the heart of your story?

V. Closing quotation

Find something that sums the article up in a few words.

VI. Conclusion  (optional—the closing quote may do the job)

The following is an excerpt from The Elements of News Writing by James W. Kershner (Pearson, 2009).  This book is available for checkout at Buley Library (Call number PN 4775 .K37 2009, on the 3rd floor)

1.       Select a newsworthy story. Your goal is to give a timely account of a recent, interesting, and significant event or development.

2.       Think about your goals and objectives in writing the story. What will the readers want and need to know about the subject? How can you best tell the story?

3.       Find out who can provide the most accurate information about the subject and how to contact that person. Find out what other sources you can use to obtain relevant information.

4.       Do your homework. Do research so that you have a basic understanding of the situation before interviewing anyone about it. Check clips of stories already written on the subject.

5.       Prepare a list of questions to ask about the story.

6.       Arrange to get the needed information. This may mean scheduling an interview or locating the appropriate people to interview.

7.       Interview the source and take notes. Ask your prepared questions, plus other questions that come up in the course of the conversation. Ask the source to suggest other sources. Ask if you may call the source back for further questions later.

8.       Interview second and third sources, ask follow-up questions, and do further research until you have a understanding of the story.

9.       Ask yourself, “What’s the story?” and “What’s the point?” Be sure you have a clear focus in your mind before you start writing. Rough out a lead in your head.

10.   Make a written outline or plan of your story.

11.   Write your first draft following your plan, but changing it as necessary.

12.   Read through your first draft looking for content problems, holes, or weak spots, and revise it as necessary. Delete extra words, sentences, and paragraphs. Make every word count.

13.   Read your second draft aloud, listening for problems in logic or syntax.

14.   Copyedit your story, checking carefully for spelling, punctuation, grammar, and style problems.

15.   Deliver your finished story to the editor before deadline.

Kershner, J.W. (2009). The Elements of News Writing. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

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• Last Updated: Feb 28, 2024 3:16 PM
• URL: https://libguides.southernct.edu/journalism

• Accessibility Statement
• Introduction, Awards, and Recognitions
• Table of Contents with Critical Media Literacy Connections
• Updates & Latest Additions
• Learning Pathway: Racial Justice and Black Lives Matter
• Learning Pathway: Influential Women and Women's History/Herstory
• Learning Pathway: Student Rights in School and Society
• Learning Pathway: Elections 2024, 2022, & 2020
• Learning Pathway: Current Events
• Learning Pathway: Critical Media Literacy
• Teacher-Designed Learning Plans
• Topic 1. The Philosophical Foundations of the United States Political System
• 1.1. The Government of Ancient Athens
• 1.2. The Government of the Roman Republic
• 1.3. Enlightenment Thinkers and Democratic Government
• 1.4. British Influences on American Government
• 1.5. Native American Influences on U.S. Government
• Topic 2. The Development of the United States Government
• 2.1. The Revolutionary Era and the Declaration of Independence
• 2.2. The Articles of Confederation
• 2.3. The Constitutional Convention
• 2.4. Debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists
• 2.5. Articles of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights
• Topic 3. Institutions of United States Government
• 3.1. Branches of the Government and the Separation of Powers
• 3.2. Checks and Balances Between the Branches of Government
• 3.3. The Roles of the Congress, the President, and the Courts
• 3.4. Elections and Nominations
• 3.5. The Role of Political Parties
• Topic 4. The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens
• 4.1. Becoming a Citizen
• 4.2. Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens and Non-Citizens
• 4.3. Civic, Political, and Private Life
• 4.4. Fundamental Principles and Values of American Political and Civic Life
• 4.5. Voting and Citizen Participation in the Political Process
• 4.6. Election Information
• 4.7. Leadership and the Qualities of Political Leaders
• 4.8. Cooperation Between Individuals and Elected Leaders
• 4.9. Public Service as a Career
• 4.10. Liberty in Conflict with Equality or Authority
• 4.11. Political Courage and Those Who Affirmed or Denied Democratic Ideals
• 4.12. The Role of Political Protest
• 4.13. Public and Private Interest Groups, PACs, and Labor Unions
• Topic 5. The Constitution, Amendments, and Supreme Court Decisions
• 5.1. The Necessary and Proper Clause
• 5.2. Amendments to the Constitution
• 5.3. Constitutional Issues Related to the Civil War, Federal Power, and Individual Civil Rights
• 5.4. Civil Rights and Equal Protection for Race, Gender, and Disability
• 5.5. Marbury v. Madison and the Principle of Judicial Review
• 5.6. Significant Supreme Court Decisions
• Topic 6. The Structure of Massachusetts State and Local Government
• 6.1. Functions of State and National Government
• 6.2. United States and Massachusetts Constitutions
• 6.3. Enumerated and Implied Powers
• 6.4. Core Documents: The Protection of Individual Rights
• 6.5. 10th Amendment to the Constitution
• 6.6. Additional Provisions of the Massachusetts Constitution
• 6.7. Responsibilities of Federal, State and Local Government
• 6.8. Leadership Structure of the Massachusetts Government
• 6.9. Tax-Supported Facilities and Services
• 6.10. Components of Local Government
• Topic 7. Freedom of the Press and News/Media Literacy
• 7.1. Freedom of the Press
• 7.2. Competing Information in a Free Press
• 7.3. Writing the News: Different Formats and Their Functions
• 7.4. Digital News and Social Media
• 7.5. Evaluating Print and Online Media
• 7.6. Analyzing Editorials, Editorial Cartoons, or Op-Ed Commentaries
• Index of Terms
• Translations

Writing the News: Different Formats and Their Functions

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Standard 7.3: Writing the News: Different Formats and Their Functions

Explain the different functions of news articles, editorials, editorial cartoons, and “op-ed” commentaries. (Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for History and Social Studies) [8.T7.3]

FOCUS QUESTION: What are the Functions of Different Types of Newspaper Writing?

News articles report what is happening as clearly and objectively as possible, without bias or opinion. In reporting the news, the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics demands that reporters: 

• Seek truth and report it
• Minimize harm
• Act independently
• Be accountable and transparent

Editorials, Editorial Cartoons, and Op-Ed Commentaries are forums where writers may freely express their viewpoints and advocate for desired changes and specific courses of action. In this way, these are forms of persuasive writing. Topic 4/Standard 6 in this book has more about the uses of persuasion, propaganda, and language in political settings. 

Photographs can be both efforts to objectively present the news and at the same time become ways to influence how viewers understand people and events.

Press Conferences are opportunities for individuals and representatives of organizations to answer questions from the press and present their perspectives on issues and events.

Sports Writing  is an integral part of the media, but the experiences for women and men sports journalists are dramatically different.

Reading and Writing the News in our Bookcase for Young Writers has material on the history of newspapers, picture books about newspapers, and digital resources for reading and writing the news.

As students learn about these different forms of news writing, they can compose their own stories and commentaries about local and national matters of importance to them

Modules for This Standard Include:

• MEDIA LITERACY CONNECTIONS: News Photographs & Newspaper Design
• TEACHER-DESIGNED LEARNING PLAN: Composing Broadsides
• UNCOVER: Pioneering Women Cartoonists and Animators: Jackie Ormes, Dale Messick and More
• MEDIA LITERACY CONNECTIONS: How Reporters Report Events

1. INVESTIGATE: News Articles, Editorials, Editorial cartoons, Op-Ed Commentaries, Photographs, Press Conferences, and Sports Writing

Reporters of the news  are obligated to maintain journalistic integrity at all times. They are not supposed to take sides or show bias in written or verbal reporting. They are expected to apply those principles as they write news articles, editorials, editorial cartoons, Op-Ed commentaries, take news photographs, and participate in press conferences.

You can find resources for Reading and Writing the News in Chapter 6 of our Bookcase for Young Writers.

News Articles and the Inverted Pyramid

News articles follow an Inverted Pyramid format. The lead, or main points of the article—the who, what, when, where, why and how of a story—are placed at the top or beginning of the article.  Additional information follows the lead and less important, but still relevant information, comes after that. The lead information gets the most words since many people read the lead and then skim the rest of the article.

Editorials are written by the editors of a newspaper or media outlet to express the opinion of that organization about a topic. Horace Greeley is credited with starting the “Editorial Page” at his New York Tribune newspaper in the 1840s, and so began the practice of separating unbiased news from clearly stated opinions as part of news writing ( A Short History of Opinion Writing , Stony Brook University).

Editorial or Political Cartoons

Editorial cartoons (also known as political cartoons) are visual images drawn to express opinions about people, events, and policies. They make use of satire and parody to communicate ideas and evoke emotional responses from readers.

There are differences between a cartoon and a comic. A “cartoon usually consists of a single drawing, often accompanied by a line of text, either in the form of a caption underneath the drawing, or a speech bubble.” A comic, by contrast, “comprises a series of drawings, often in boxes, or as we like to call them, ‘panels,’ which form a narrative” (Finck, 2019, p. 27).

An exhibit from the Library of Congress noted how political or editorial cartoons are “no laughing matter.”  They are “pictures with a point” ( It's No Laughing Matter: Political Cartoons/Pictures with a Point , Library of Congress).  Washington Post cartoonist Ann Telnaes stated: “The job of the editorial cartoonist is to expose the hypocrisies and abuses of power by politicians and powerful institutions in our society” ( Editorial Cartooning, Then and Now , Medium.com, August 7, 2017).

Benjamin Franklin published the first political cartoon, “Join, or Die” in the Pennsylvania Gazette, May 9, 1754. Thomas Nast used cartoons to expose corruption, greed, and injustice in Gilded Age American society in the late 19th century. Launched in 1970 and still being drawn today in newspapers and online, Doonesbury by Gary Trudeau provides political satire and social commentary in a comic strip format. In 1975, Doonesbury was the first politically-themed daily comic strip to win a Pulitzer Prize. Editorial and political cartoons are widely viewed online, especially in the form of Internet memes that offer commentary and amusement to digital age readers.

Commentators including Communication professor Jennifer Grygiel contend that memes are the new form of political cartoons . Do you think that this is an accurate claim? Compare the history of political cartoons outlined above with your own knowledge of memes to support your argument. What are the different perspectives?

Op-Ed Commentaries

Op-Ed Commentaries (Op-Ed means "opposite the editorial page") are written essays of around 700 words found on, or opposite, the editorial page of newspapers and other news publications. They are opportunities for politicians, experts, and ordinary citizens to express their views on issues of importance.

Unlike news articles, which are intended to report the news in an objective and unbiased way, Op-Ed commentaries are opinion pieces. Writers express their ideas and viewpoints, and their names are clearly identified so everyone knows who is the author of each essay. The goal of opinion writing, declared editors at The New York Times for Kids , "is to challenge readers to think about things differently" (The Opinion Issue, December 31, 2023, p. 2).

The modern Op-Ed page began in 1970 when the New York Times newspaper asked writers from outside the field of journalism to contribute essays on a range of topics ( The Op-Ed Page's Back Pages , Slate , September 27, 2010). Since then, Op-Ed pages have become a forum for a wide expression of perspectives and viewpoints.

News Photographs

Photographs are a fundamental part of newspapers today. We would be taken back and much confused to view a newspaper page without photographs and other images including charts, graphs, sketches, and advertisements, rendered in black and white or color. Look at the front page and then the interior pages of a major daily newspaper (in print or online) and note how many photographs are connected to the stories of the day.

The first photograph published in a US newspaper was on March 4, 1880. Prior to then, sketch artists created visual representations of news events. The New York Illustrated News began the practice of regularly featuring photographs in the newspaper in 1919 (Library of Congress: An Illustrated Guide/Prints and Photographs ).

From that time, photography has changed how people receive the news from newspapers. The 1930s to the 1970s have been called a "golden age" of photojournalism . Publications like the New York Daily News, Life, and Sports Illustrated achieved enormous circulations. Women became leaders in the photojournalist field: Margaret Bourke -White was a war reporter; Frances Benjamin Johnson took photos all over the United States; Dorothea Lange documented the Great Depression; the site Trailblazers of Light tells the hidden histories of the pioneering women of photojournalism. Also check out  "What Is The Role of a War Correspondent?" later in this topic.

For an engaging student writing about photographs idea, check out A Year of Picture Prompts: Over 160 Images to Inspire Writing from the New York Times.

Press Conferences

A press conference is a meeting where news reporters get to ask public figures and political leaders (including the President of the United States) questions about major topics and issues. In theory, press conferences are opportunities for everyone in the country to learn important information because reporters ask tough questions and political leaders answer them openly and honestly. In fact, as Harold Holzer (2020) points out in the study of The Presidents vs. The Press , there has always been from the nation's founding "unavoidable tensions between chief executives and the journalists who cover them."

The first Presidential press conference was held by Woodrow Wilson in 1913. Calvin Coolidge averaged about 74 press conferences annually during his Presidency, although these were informal, off-the-record conversations and reporters could not use the information without the President's permission.

Every President since has met with the press in this conference format, although the meetings continued to be "off the record" (Presidents could not be quoted directly) until the Eisenhower Presidency. In March 1933, Eleanor Roosevelt was the first First Lady to hold a formal press conference. President Eisenhower held the first televised press conference on January 19, 1955.

John F. Kennedy transformed the Presidential Press Conference into a media event; you can watch the video of Kennedy's first televised press conference here .

Franklin D. Roosevelt held the most press conferences (881; twice a week during the New Deal and World War II); Richard Nixon the fewest (39) (quoted from Presidential Press Conferences , The American Presidency Project).

Donald Trump changed the news conference format dramatically, often turning meetings with the press into political campaign-style attacks on reporters, "fake news," and political opponents. He regularly answered only the questions he wanted to answer while walking from the White House to a waiting helicopter; this "chopper talk" -- in Stephen Colbert's satirical term, since it does not have a formal question and answer format -- enabled the President to tightly control the information he wanted to convey to the public ( Politico , August 28, 2019).

Presidents are not the only ones who participate in press conferences. Public officials at every level of government are expected to answer questions from the news media. Corporate executives, sports figures and many other news makers also hold press conferences. All of these gatherings are essential to providing free and open information to every member of a democratic society, but only when reporters ask meaningful questions and public officials answer them in meaningful ways.

Sports Writing/Sports Journalism

Sports writing is the field of journalism that focuses on sports, athletes, professional and amateur leagues, and other sports-related issues ( Sports Writing as a Form of Creative Nonfiction ). Sports writing in the U.S. began in the 1820s, with coverage of horse racing and boxing included in specialized sports magazines. As newspapers expanded in the 19th century, the so-called “penny press,” editors and readers began demanding sports content. In 1895, William Randolph Hearst introduced the first separate sports section in his newspaper, The New York Journal  ( History of Sports Journalism: Part 1 ).

Throughout the 20th century, sports writing emerged as a central part of print newspapers and magazines (the famous magazine Sports Illustrated began in 1954). Reporters and columnists followed professional teams, often traveling with them from city to city, writing game stories and human interest pieces about players and their achievements.

Earl Warren, the former Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, is reported to have said that he always read the sports pages of the newspaper first because “the sport section records people’s accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man’s failures.” Warren’s comment speaks to the compelling place that sports have in American culture, daily life, and media. Millions of people follow high school sports, college teams, and professional leagues in print and online media. 

Importantly, as the blogger SportsMediaGuy points out, Earl Warren’s quote can be read as if the sports and sports pages were an escape room where only positive things happen and the inequalities and inequities of society never intrude. Nothing can be further from everyday reality. Sports mirror society as a whole, and issues of class, race, gender, economics, and health are present on playing fields, in locker rooms, and throughout sports arenas.

The history of women sportswriters is a striking example of how the inequalities of society manifest themselves in sports media. Women have been writing about sports for a long time, however, not many people know the history. Sadie Kneller Miller was the first known woman to cover sports when she reported on the Baltimore Orioles in the 1890s, but "with stigma still attached to women in sports, Miller bylined her articles using only her initials, S.K.M., to conceal her gender" ( Archives of Maryland - Sadie Kneller Miller, para. 3 ). 

Between 1905 and 1910, Ina Eloise Young began writing about baseball for the local Trinidad, Colorado newspaper before moving on to the Denver Post where she became a “sporting editor” in 1908, covering the town’s minor league team and the 1908 World Series ( Our Lady Reporter’: Introducing Women Baseball Writers, 1900-30 ). New Orleans-based Jill Jackson became one of the few female sports reporters on television and radio in the 1940s ( Jill Jackson: Pioneering in the Press Box ). Phyllis George, the 1971 Miss America pageant winner, joined CBS as a sportscaster on the television show The NFL Today in 1975.

The histories of women writing about sports revealed the tensions of sexism and gender discrimination. Many of the early female sports reporters encountered various levels of threatening and harmful treatment upon entering the locker room. Some were physically assaulted. Others were sexually abused or challenged by the players in sexually inappropriate ways ( Women in Sports Journalism , p.iv).

You can read more in Lady in the Locker Room by Susan Fornoff who spent the majority of the 1980s covering the Oakland Athletics baseball team and listen to a 2021 podcast in which Julie DiCaro discusses her new book, Sidelined: Sports, Culture and Being a Woman in America .

Women today continue to face widespread gender discrimination in what is still a male-dominated sports media. In 2019, 14% of all sports reporters are women and women’s sports only account for about 4% of sports media.

Media Literacy Connections: News Photographs & Newspaper Design

Photographs in print newspapers and online news sites convey powerful messages to readers and viewers, but they are not to be viewed uncritically.

Every photo represents a moment frozen in time. What happened before and after the photo was taken? What else was happening outside the view of the camera? Why did the photographer take the photo from a certain angle and perspective? Why did a newspaper editor choose to publish one image and not another?

The meaning of a news photograph depends on multiple levels of context as well as how each of us interpret its meaning. 

The following activities will provide you with an opportunity to act as a critical viewer of newspaper photographs and as a member of a newspaper design team who must decide what photographs to incorporate in a class newspaper.

• Activity 1: Analyze Newspaper Photographs
• Activity 2: Design a Class Newspaper with Photos and Images

Suggested Learning Activities

• What differences to you see in the topics and sports that women reporters and columnists cover and write about?
• What differences to you see in their roles and the roles of male reporters?
• Compose a Broadside About a Historical or Contemporary Issue  
• A broadside is a strongly worded informational poster that spreads criticisms of people or policies impacting a group or community. It contains statements attacking a political opponent or political idea, usually displayed on single large sheets of paper, one side only, and is designed to have an immediate emotional impact on readers .   

Teacher-Designed Learning Plan: Composing Broadsides

History teacher Erich Leaper has students construct broadsides as a learning activity when teaching Op-Ed Commentaries. During colonial times, proponents of the American Revolution posted broadsides expressing their opposition to British colonial acts and policies. Broadsides were the social media and Op-Ed commentaries of the time. 

Steps to follow: 

• Begin by asking students to list actions or activities that are likely to upset you.
• Students in groups select one of five options: the Tea Act, Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Intolerable Acts, Quartering Act, and the Townshend Act.
• The teacher writes a broadside as a model for the students. Erich wrote his about the Sugar Act, entitling it "Wah! They Can't Take Away My Candy!"
• Researching and analyzing one of the acts, each group writes and draws a broadside expressing opposition to and outrage about the unfairness of the law.
• 1) An engaging title (like "Taxing Tea? Not for Me!" or "Call Them What They Are-- Intolerable " or "Stamp Out Injustice"
• 2) Summary of its claim in kid-friendly language;
• 3) A thesis statement of the group's viewpoint; and
• 4) At least 3 statements of outrage or opposition.
• Groups display their broadside posters around the classroom or in a virtual gallery.
• In their groups, students view all of the other broadsides and discuss how they would rate the Acts on an oppressiveness scale —ranging from most oppressive to least oppressive to the colonists.  
• The assessment for the activity happens as each student chooses the top three most oppressive acts and explain her/his choices in writing.

Resources for writing colonial broadsides:

• Colonial Broadsides: A Student Created Play , Edsitement (NEH.gov)
• Printed Broadsides in the British American Colonies, 1700-1760 , National Humanities Center 
• Broadsides and Their Music in Colonial America , Colonial Society of Massachusetts 

Online Resources for Newspapers

• Writing a Newspaper Article , Scholastic (grades 3-8) 
• Newspaper Article Format , Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
• A Good Lead Is Everything--Here's How to Write One , NPR Training
• Writing an Editorial , Alan Weintraut, Annandale (Virginia) High School
• Guidelines for Editorials , Santa Barbara City College
• Analyzing Political Cartoons (French Revolution Example) | Social Studies Samurai
• Chappatte stated: "Political cartoons were born with democracy, and they are challenged when freedom is challenged.”
• Suprani stated: "Dictators Hate Cartoons."
• Editorial Cartoons: An Introduction , The Ohio State University Department of History
• Editorial Cartoons: An Introduction , Teaching Tolerance Magazine
• Cartoon America , Library of Congress
• The Evolution of Political Cartoons through a Changing Media Landscape
• The First 150 Years of the American Political Cartoon , Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• Cartoons for the Classroom , Association of American Editorial Cartoonists
• It's No Laughing Matter:  Political Cartoons/Pictures with a Point , Library of Congress
• People of color were largely excluded from the photographic record.

2. UNCOVER : Pioneering Women Cartoonists and Animators: Jackie Ormes, Dale Messick, and More

The pioneering work of women cartoonists and animators is part of the overlooked and largely unknown history of technology and media in the mid-20th century.

Zelda “Jackie” Ormes is considered to be the first African American woman cartoonist. In comic strips that ran in Black-owned newspapers across the country in the 1940s and 1950s, she created memorable independent women characters, including Torchy Brown and Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger. Her characters were intelligent, forceful women and their stories addressed salient issues of racism and discrimination in African American life. In 1947, a Patty-Jo doll was the first African American doll based on a comic character; there was also a popular Torchy Brown doll.

Google honored Jackie Ormes with a Google Doodle slideshow  and short biography on September 1, 2020.

Dale Messick , a pioneering female cartoonist, debuted the comic strip, Brenda Starr, Reporter on June 30, 1940. The comic ran for more than 60 years in hundreds of newspapers nationwide. Throughout its history, the creative team for the comic strip were all women, including the writers and artists who continued the strip after Messick retired in 1980. Based on the character, style, and beauty of Hollywood actress Rita Haywood, Brenda Starr was determined and empowered, lived a life of adventure and intrigue, and always got the news story she was investigating.

Joye Hummel was the first woman hired to write Wonder Woman comics - she wrote every episode between 1945 and 1947, but the writing credit went to "Charles Moulton," a pen name for William Moulton Marston , the inventor of the lie-detector test and the creator and first writer of the comic series. Hummel passed away in 2021 at age 97. A whole series of women (including birth-control pioneer Margaret Sanger's niece) were responsible for the development of the comic, noted historian Jill Lepore in her book, The Secret History of Wonder Woman (2015), which documented the evolution of the character from a strong feminist into a more male-like superhero.

Women also contributed immensely to cartoon animation and the development of animated films. Lillian Friedman Astor , who animated characters including Betty Boop and Popeye, is considered the first American woman studio animator -- all of her animation work was uncredited.

Watch an interview featuring Lillian Friedman Astor below. Retta Scott who worked on the movie Bambi  and later produced Fantasia and Dumbo , was the first woman to receive screen credit as an animator on a Disney film.

To learn more, check out 7 Women Who Shaped Animated Films (and Childhoods) , Medium (August 8, 2019).

Suggested Learning Activity

Assess the Historical Impact of Jackie Ormes, Dale Messick and Other Women Cartoonists and Animators

• Jackie Ormes to Enter Will Eisner Comic Hall of Fame , Comic Book Legal Defense Fund 
• The Woman Whose 1940s Comics Starred Chic, Socially Aware Black Women ,VICE
• Farewell Brenda Starr: 70-Year-Old Reporter Faces Her Final Deadline , The Washington Post (December 9, 2010)
• She Changed the Comics: Pre-Code and Golden Age , Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
• Brenda Starr, Reporter , America Comes Alive!

State Your View:   Why is it difficult for women to enter and succeed in professions where there are mostly men?

• FYI: The Animation Guild, the union for animation artists, writers and technicians, has reported that only 25% of its members are women .

3. ENGAGE: How Are War Correspondents and War Photographers Essential to a Free Press?

War Correspondents  and War Photographers have one of the most important and most dangerous roles in the news media. They travel to war zones, often right into the middle of actual fighting, to tell the rest of us what is happening to soldiers and civilians. Without their written reports and dramatic photos, the public would not know the extent of military activities or the severity of humanitarian crises. 

War correspondence has a fascinating history. The Roman general Julius Caesar was the first war correspondent. His short, engagingly written accounts of military victories made him a national hero and propelled his rise to power (Welch, 1998). As a young man in the years between 1895 and 1900, Winston Churchill reported on wars in Cuba, India, the Sudan, and South Africa (Read, 2015).

Thomas Morris Chester,  the only Black war correspondent for a major newspaper at the time of the Civil War, reported on the activities of African American troops during the final year of the war in Virginia for the Philadelphia Press ( Blackett , 1991). He had been a recruiter for the 54th Massachusetts regiment - the first unit of African American soldiers in the North during the Civil War.

Women Reporting on War

Women war correspondents and photographers have played essential roles documenting 20th century wars.

America's first female war correspondent was Nellie Bly who covered World War I from the front lines for five years for the New York Evening Journal .

Peggy Hull Deuell was the first American woman war correspondent accredited by the U.S. government. Between 1916 and the end of World War II, she sent dispatches from battlefields in Mexico, Europe and Asia.

For 28 years, Martha Gellhorn covered fighting in the Spanish Civil War, World War II, Vietnam, the Middle East and Central America.

Combat photojournalist  Dickey Chapelle was the first American female war photographer killed in action in World War II.

Catherine Leroy was the only non-military photographer to make a combat jump into Vietnam with the Sky Soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. You can read more about Catherine Leroy, Frances Fitzgerald, and Kate Webb during the Vietnam War in the book You Don't Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War by Elizabeth Becker (Public Affairs, 2021).

Lee Miller went from being a magazine cover model in the 1920s to a famous woman photographer with her own studio to an embedded war photographer with the U.S. military during World War II. Her story is told in the 2023 feature film Lee staring Kate Winslet.

At the end of August, 1939, British journalist Clare Hollingworth was the first to report the German invasion of Poland that began World War II, what has been called "probably the greatest scoop of modern times" (as cited in Fox, 2017 , para. 6). It was her first week on the job (Garrett, 2016). In her book The Correspondents , reporter Judith Mackrell (2021) profiles the experiences of six women writers on the front lines during World War II: Martha Gellhorn, Clare Hollingworth, Lee Miller, Helen Kirkpatrick, Virginia Cowles, and Sigrid Schultz. These women faced the dangers of war and the bias of sexism, often having to hitchhike to the battlefield to get the story in defiance of rules against women in combat zones. You can go here to learn more about the pioneering women of photojournalism (CNN, March 8, 2023).

Danger and Death

War correspondents and photojournalists face and sometimes met death. Ernie Pyle , who won a Pulitzer Prize for his stories about ordinary soldiers during World War II, was killed by Japanese machine-gun fire in 1945. Marie Colvin , who covered wars in Chechnya, Sri Lanka, and the Middle East was killed by the Syrian government shelling in 2012. When asked why she covered wars, Marie Colvin said, “what I write about is humanity in extremis, pushed the unendurable, and that it is important to tell people what really happens in wars—declared and undeclared” (quoted in Schleier, 2018, para. 8 ). 

How did the lives and deaths of these two reporters and their commitment to informing others about war reflect the role and importance of a free press in a democratic society?

Media Literacy Connections: How Reporters Report Events

Print and television news reporters make multiple decisions about how they report the events they are covering, including who to interview, which perspective to present, which camera angles to use for capturing footage, and which audio to record. These decisions structure how viewers think about the causes and consequences of events.

In one notable historical example, historian Rick Perlstein (2020) described how, during the beginning of the Iran Hostage Crisis in 1979, ABC News vaulted to the top of the TV news show ratings with its late night broadcasts of " America Held Hostage: The Crisis in Iran"  (the show that would soon be renamed  Nightline ). The network focused on showing images of a burning American flag, embassy employees in blindfolds, Uncle Sam hanged in effigy, and increasingly more people watched the broadcast. Perlstein (2020) noted, "the images slotted effortlessly into the long-gathering narrative of American malaise, humiliation, and failed leadership" (p. 649) - themes Ronald Reagan would capitalize on during his successful 1980 Presidential campaign.

In the following activities, you will examine reporters' differences in coverage of the 2016 Hong Kong Protests and then you will act as a reporter and create or remix the news. 

• Activity 1: Evaluate How Reporters Covered the 2016 Hong Kong Protests
• Activity 2: Report an Event From a Different Perspective
• Describe the life of Marie Colvin, Ernie Pyle, Dickey Chapelle or another war journalist or photographer and highlight their time spent covering war (see the online resources section below for related information). 
• How do the lives and jobs of modern war correspondents compare and contrast to those in different historical time periods (i.e. American Revolution, the World War II, Vietnam War).
• Design a Public Service Announcement (PSA) video or podcast to convince politicians to provide war correspondents with mental health care support and services once they return from reporting in a war zone.
• Report on the Legal and Policy Frameworks Guiding the United States' Use of Military Force and Related National Security Operations (2018)
• What do you and people in general know about these engagements?  How are war correspondents covering these wars?

Online Resources for War Correspondents and Photojournalists

• War Correspondents Official Site on Amazon
• PODCAST: The Failings of War Photography , Anastasia Taylor-Lind
• BOOK: In Extremis: The Life and Death of War Correspondent Marie Colvin . Lindsey Hilsum (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2019)
• A New Biography of Marie Colvin, Eyewitness to War , NPR (November 4, 2018)
• Dickey Chapelle Biography
• The Brilliant Photos of the First American Female War Photographer Killed in Action
• Inside the Daring Life of a Forgotten Female War Photographer , National Geographic
• 6 Female Journalists of the World War II Era, Literary Ladies Guide
• Edith Wharton: War Correspondent , EDSITEment 
• CNN's Interactive "Free Press: What's at Stake" -  Media Martyrs: Among Those Who Died While Working as Journalists in the Past 15 Years
• Marguerite Higgins Hits Red Beach - She was the only woman who received a Pulitzer Prize for covering the Korean War in 1951.
• BOOK: The Women Who Wrote the War . Nancy Caldwell Sorel. New York: Arcade, 1999.
• Ernie Pyle: Wartime Columns , Indiana University 
• Obituary: Ernie Pyle is Killed on Ie Island; Foe Fired When All Seemed Safe , The New York Times (April 19, 1945)

Standard 7.3 Conclusion

INVESTIGATE looked at news articles, editorials, political cartoons, Op-Ed commentaries, news photographs, and press conferences as formats where writers and artists report the news and also present their opinions and perspectives on events.   ENGAGE explored the roles of war correspondents, using the historical experiences of Marie Colvin (writing 1979 to 2012) and Ernie Pyle (writing 1925 to 1945) as examples. UNCOVER told the stories of two important feminist comic strips drawn by pioneering women cartoonists, Jackie Ormes (writing 1930 to 1956) and Dale Messick (writing 1940 to 1980).

This content is provided to you freely by EdTech Books.

Access it online or download it at https://edtechbooks.org/democracy/writing_the_news .

Articles on Rhetoric

Displaying 1 - 20 of 99 articles.

The media must stop enabling Trump’s attention-seeking use of fascist rhetoric

Robert Danisch , University of Waterloo

Thanksgiving stories gloss over the history of US settlement on Native lands

Lisa Michelle King , University of Tennessee

Biden’s Middle East trip has messages for both global and domestic audiences

Allison M. Prasch , University of Wisconsin-Madison

Donald Trump’s victim rhetoric will boost his popularity following latest indictment

The stabbing attack at the University of Waterloo underscores the dangers of polarizing rhetoric about gender

Shana MacDonald , University of Waterloo and Alysia Kolentsis , University of Waterloo

Sierra Leone election: voter trust has been shaken, and will need to be regained

Catherine Bolten , University of Notre Dame

‘Rhetoric’ doesn’t need to be such an ugly word – it has a lot to teach echo-chambered America

Ryan Leack , USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Respectful persuasion is a relay race, not a solo sprint – 3 keys to putting it in practice

Colin Marshall , University of Washington

The power of language: How rhetoric awareness can combat hiring bias and discrimination

Rayyan Dabbous , University of Toronto

Not all insurrections are equal – for enslaved Americans, it was the only option

Deion Scott Hawkins , Emerson College

How to get away with torture, insurrection, you name it: The techniques of denial and distraction that politicians use to manage scandal

Jared Del Rosso , University of Denver

GOP ‘message laundering’ turns violent, extremist reactions to search of Trump’s Mar-a -Lago into acceptable political talking points

Karrin Vasby Anderson , Colorado State University

Why the Jan. 6 hearings should be making corporations nervous

Hackathons should be renamed to avoid negative connotations

P. Alison Paprica , University of Toronto ; Kimberlyn McGrail , University of British Columbia , and Michael J. Schull , University of Toronto

Look at 3 enduring stories Americans tell about guns to understand the debate over them

Greg Dickinson , Colorado State University and Brian L. Ott , Missouri State University

Your past is my present – how Volodymyr Zelenskyy uses history

Anil Menon , University of Michigan and Pauline Jones , University of Michigan

‘I have a need’: How Zelenskyy’s plea to Congress emphasized shared identity with US

7 ways to spot polarizing language — how to choose responsibly what to amplify online or  in-person

Biden urges America to see the truth of Jan. 6 – and understand its place in history

John M. Murphy , University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Boris Johnson fails the ‘ showman-to -statesman’ test in party conference speech

Matthew Flinders , University of Sheffield

Related Topics

• 2016 US presidential election
• 2020 US elections
• Donald Trump
• January 6 US Capitol attack
• Political rhetoric
• Trump rhetoric
• US politics

Top contributors

Professor of Communication and Journalism, Texas A&M University

Professor, Department of Communication Arts, University of Waterloo

Assistant lecturer, CY Cergy Paris Université

Assistant Professor Rhetoric and Communication, State University of New York, College at Geneseo

Chair of Academic Board, Victoria University

Adjunct Professor at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University

Professor of Communication Studies, Colorado State University

Associate Professor of Rhetoric, Communication Consultant, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Senior Lecturer and Senior Digital Learning Developer, UCL

PhD Candidate, Department of Comparative Literature and Culture, Queen Mary University of London

Professor of Communication, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Associate Dean and Professor of Psychology, University of Memphis

Professor of American Politics, Fairleigh Dickinson University

Professor, Australian National University

Emeritus Professor of Classics, La Trobe University

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Bridge collapse poses the first major challenge for Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democratic rising star

BALTIMORE — After a bridge collapse in Baltimore killed six people and shut down an international port, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has stepped into the national spotlight this week, leading the response to the catastrophe.

Moore, a political newcomer before he launched his 2022 campaign for governor, has already been identified as a rising star in the Democratic Party, joining a deep bench of Democratic governors whose names have been floated as potential 2028 presidential contenders.

Moore’s allies say the qualities and experience that led him to run for governor are the same ones that could help guide him through this crisis and into national prominence.“I think leaders show who they are in times of crisis. Wes Moore has always been someone who runs toward the problem,” Brian Adam Jones, who was a longtime adviser to Moore when he led the Robin Hood Foundation, told NBC News, highlighting Moore’s experience as a combat veteran and the CEO of one of the largest anti-poverty organizations in New York City.

Jones echoed the feelings of other Moore allies and Democratic strategists who argue that Moore is uniquely positioned to address a complex crisis, which features a vessel that struck a bridge, eliminated a critical piece of Baltimore infrastructure, tied up traffic across the region, shut down an international port and led to the deaths of six construction workers.

Just after 1 a.m. on Tuesday, the cargo ship Dali crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. By 6 a.m., the governor had declared a state of emergency. Since then, Moore has been all over Baltimore, between the site of the downed bridge, speaking to victims’ families and observing a moment of silence at the Baltimore Orioles’ opening day game on Thursday.

“This is going to be a long process. It’s a very complicated process. But people should rest assured we are going to get this done and they can bet on that,” Moore said at a press conference Thursday evening.

It’s a big moment for a new governor in a city that often clashed with his predecessor, GOP Gov. Larry Hogan , who is now running for Senate.

“Gov. Hogan is someone who really, almost always spoke about Baltimore with an incredible amount of disdain,” Jones said, adding: “And that was something that as a Baltimorean was really important for Gov. Moore when he was running.”

Still, one national Democratic strategist told NBC News, “Nobody ever wants to be a crisis governor. But it’s part of the job.”

The strategist added that Moore is “focused on Maryland right now. His military experience, unique biography and leadership skills set him apart. It’s going to take a really long time [to rebuild] and it won’t happen overnight. As someone with military experience and service, that’s central to his leadership in Maryland, as is bringing people together and remaining focused.”

A first-term test

How Moore faces this crisis will prove to be a crucial test of his leadership and his role as a rising star in the party, given the skepticism he faced during a tense Democratic primary campaign.

Moore started in the race with little name recognition but took off early on, boosted by endorsements from figures in and out of the state, including Oprah Winfrey. He went on to outpace former U.S. Education Secretary John King, former Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez and former Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot.

But midway through the primary cycle, Moore’s campaign became bogged down with allegations that Moore had misrepresented his upbringing in a 2010 memoir, “The Other Wes Moore.” Moore’s campaign filed complaints with the state board of elections, alleging foul play by a group that circulated a memo raising questions about his past and whether Moore really grew up in Baltimore.Jared Leopold, a veteran Democratic strategist and a former staffer at the Democratic Governors Association, told NBC News that Moore proved his political chops during that gubernatorial primary, saying Moore “showed his charisma and his leadership, and also showed that he could handle tough issues.”

“So far, I think it’s going well for him,” Leopold added. “He’s doing well at the leadership test.”

MSNBC co-host Michael Steele, a Republican who served as Maryland’s lieutenant governor from 2003 to 2007 and went on to serve as chair of the Republican National Committee, added that in addition to questions about his ties to Maryland during the campaign, “I think there were a lot of questions about someone who’s never held elective office coming in and running a $40 billion enterprise and trying to manage all of that.”

“But, you know, he’s seemingly getting his footing under him, and I think a lot of folks in Annapolis and around the state are still watching and nodding their heads with approval,” he added.

Representatives for Moore’s administration declined to comment for this story, pointing instead to Moore’s Thursday remarks on the path to rebuilding the bridge.

Eyes on 2028

Democratic strategists and Moore’s allies stress that despite a potentially bright political future, the governor isn’t using this moment to advance any political ambition.

“I know that that’s not even on his radar right now, as he’s thinking about this crisis,” Jones said.

Steele added, “Out of the gate, I can just tell you when you’re in that position, only the most crass ... kind of politician will sit there and think about how they could take a tragedy like this and burnish their reputation for higher office. That’s something that I’ve never picked up from Gov. Moore.”

Just days before the bridge collapse, Moore held a roundtable discussion with reporters in Washington after speaking at an education conference. He was asked if he was tired of getting so many questions about his political future, just months into his term as governor.

“I don’t, I don’t get tired of it because I don’t think about it,” he said.

Still, in two years Moore will have the opportunity to run for a second term if he chooses, and past political campaigns have shown that successfully navigating a conflict can help you in future political endeavors.

Following Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s re-election victory in one of the most competitive gubernatorial campaigns of 2023, many identified him as the “ consoler-in-chief ” of his state and credited Beshear’s victory, in part, to guiding his state through the Covid-19 pandemic and a series of devastating natural disasters during his first term.“I think people understood that regardless of their politics and other things, they knew fundamentally that [Beshear] really, really cared about them, and his values drove him to help, right?” one Democratic strategist familiar with governor’s races told NBC News.

“We’ve seen all over, voters really reward that when they think you’re on their side,” the strategist added.

All eyes are now on Maryland, and Moore, as he and other local, state and national leaders begin the process of healing a community and rebuilding crucial infrastructure.

“Don’t bet against Wes Moore. Ever,” Jones said, adding: “Watch his work and watch what he does. It’ll speak for itself.”

Alexandra Marquez is a politics reporter for NBC News.

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Here are six paperbacks we recommend →

Ellison, a major figure in 20th-century science fiction, died in 2018. His short stories, some of which provided the basis for episodes of “The Twilight Zone,” “ripped my mind open and showed me what the possibilities of fiction were,” Neil Gaiman writes in the foreword to this new collection of Ellison’s best-known work.

When her former stepmother Jean dies and leaves Leah the sculptures she spent her final years creating, Leah returns to Appalachia, where the two once lived together. Contending with “ambivalence and complexity and discomfort,” our reviewer wrote, this novel traces their relationship over the course of Leah’s life and across divides of generation and class.

In March 2018, Jennifer and Sarah Hart drove off a cliff with their eight Black children strapped in. No one survived. Asgarian’s investigation tells the harrowing story of the white married couple’s actions and lays bare the injustices of the foster care system that enabled them.

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Perhaps because Akuany, the young woman who is the “beating heart” of this novel set during the Ottoman Empire’s decline in late-1800s Sudan, has spent most of her life forced to move from house to house, she feels most at home in the water. In between her desire for freedom and her feelings for the merchant who once rescued her lies “a love story that endures in a time of cruelty and punishment,” our reviewer wrote.

This history of Ukraine’s 2013-14 Maidan revolution, named for Kyiv’s Independence Square, where thousands of demonstrators were brutally repressed, was first published in 2018, before the Russian invasion. In an updated preface, Shore writes that it was at the Maidan where “Ukrainian society as it now exists was born.”

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