News Writing

Megan

Atlassian Confluence

Write content across digital, magazines, social channels, customer review sites, videos, podcasts, events and experiences that informs with newsworthy copy, inspires and enables audiences to connect with the things they are passionate about from beauty, food, fashion, travel, parenting and entertainment to real-life news reporting. Find News Writing WFH freelancers on January 21, 2025 who work remotely. Read less

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What to Know

What are the standards News editors use for publishing online articles?

News editors adhere to several language, style, and grammar guidelines when preparing online articles to ensure clarity, consistency, and professionalism. Here are some key guidelines, with examples:

Language Guidelines:

Clarity and Conciseness:
Guideline: Use simple, clear language to convey information efficiently.
Example: "The mayor announced new policies today" instead of "Today, there was an announcement by the mayor about the introduction of new policies."

Jargon and Technical Terms:
Guideline: Limit jargon unless writing for an audience familiar with it. Define or explain terms when used.
Example: "The company's Q3 earnings showed a 15% EBITDA increase" should include an explanation like "EBITDA, or Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization..."

Avoidance of Bias:
Guideline: Use neutral language to avoid influencing readers' perceptions.
Example: "The protesters marched" rather than "The angry mob marched."

Use of Quotes:
Guideline: Quote accurately and attribute properly to maintain integrity.
Example: "According to Dr. Jane Doe, 'The study clearly indicates a need for policy change.'"

Style Guidelines:

Associated Press (AP) Style:
Guideline: Many news organizations follow AP style for consistency in formatting, abbreviations, and word choice.
Example: Dates are written as "Jan. 1, 2009" rather than "January 1st, 2009"; titles like "President Barack Obama" on first mention, then just "Obama."

Headline Style:
Guideline: Headlines should be concise, often in present tense for immediacy, and avoid articles ("a", "an", "the") unless necessary.
Example: "New Law Affects Millions" instead of "A New Law That Affects Millions."

Active Voice:
Guideline: Prefer active voice for directness and clarity.
Example: "The council approved the budget" rather than "The budget was approved by the council."

Inverted Pyramid Structure:
Guideline: Lead with the most important information, followed by less critical details.
Example: An article on an election might start with the winner, then move to vote counts, reactions, etc.

Grammar Guidelines:

Punctuation:
Guideline: Follow consistent rules for commas, quotation marks, and other punctuation, often favoring simplicity.
Example: In AP style, punctuation like periods and commas go inside quotation marks: "He said, 'It's time.'"

Subject-Verb Agreement:
Guideline: Ensure agreement in number and tense for clarity.
Example: "The team is on its way" not "The team are on their way."

Consistency in Tense:
Guideline: Maintain tense throughout unless there's a narrative reason to shift.
Example: "The fire started at 3 p.m. and was contained by 6 p.m." uses past tense consistently.

Correct Use of Articles and Prepositions:
Guideline: Use articles and prepositions correctly to avoid ambiguity.
Example: "He went to the meeting" is clearer than "He went meeting."

Spelling and Capitalization:
Guideline: Be consistent with spelling (American vs. British English) and capitalize appropriately for names, titles, and specific references.
Example: "The U.S. Department of Education announced..." with "U.S." capitalized as an abbreviation.

Additional Considerations:

SEO and Digital Readability: Use keywords naturally for SEO, break up text with subheadings, bullet points, or lists for online readability.
Linking: Provide hyperlinks to further information or sources, ensuring they are relevant and work correctly.
Adaptation for Medium: Online articles might include interactive elements like videos or polls, which should be integrated without disrupting the readability.

These guidelines aim to maintain high journalistic standards while making content accessible and engaging for an online audience. Each news organization might have slight variations or additional style points, but these principles are widely recognized in the industry.

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