Newspapers are still more than paper

Despite the development of TV and radio coverage, newspapers remain one of the most popular ways of getting current information. The large number of newspapers that we can choose today proves it. The aim of this article is to give you as much standard vocabulary about the topic as possible.

First of all, let’s give a definition of the term newspaper: it is a set of large printed sheets of paper with news, articles and other different information. Newspapers that deal with serious news issues are called the quality or broadsheet newspapers and are published on large pages; tabloids speak about sports, crime, actors, etc. and are published on small pages and contain big photos that take much more space than the text. Very often newspapers are called papers; ordinary and not very serious newspapers are referred to as rags.

The press means newspapers and people who work for them. Usually we distinguish good and bad press.

Normally, every newspaper has its structure, but each one has headlines, i.e. some words at the top of a report, which tell us briefly what it is about. Then, you will find in newspapers a leader or editorial that is a piece of writing in a paper where the editor gives his/her opinion about events and news.

Next, let’s learn the titles of the people who work for a newspaper. The editor is somebody in charge of a paper who decides what is to be published in it. People who write articles are called journalists or reporters. A correspondent is a journalist who deals with a particular subject. A columnist regularly writes a series of articles for a paper or a magazine. If you say back about a journalist, you show that you do not respect him/her or his/her work.

What newspapers, except for ours, do you usually read? Are they tabloids or broadsheet newspapers? Why are tabloids so popular today? Have you ever written for a newspaper? Would you like to try one day? If so, what rubric would you cover? Why are the headlines important? Which ones immediately catch your attention? Is the headline for this article well chosen or not? Which one would you choose writing a text about the same topic? If you were editor of a small newspaper, what would you do to attract readers’ attention? What are the qualities a good journalist should have? Do you have a favourite reporter in a newspaper? What do you like about his/her work? What do you understand when hearing the expression “journalistic ethics”? Will the Internet lead to the “death” of paper editions? Why is it important for a newspaper to have a web site today? Are there many newspapers for children? Do you remember any newspapers you read in your childhood?