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Differences Between Print & Broadcast Journalism
No matter the medium, journalists are expected to be objective in their reporting. Viewers and readers depend on journalists to accurately, quickly and fairly report local, state and national news. The features and strengths of the print and broadcast mediums themselves have created differences between the two forms of journalism, though those changes are becoming less apparent as more people turn to the Internet for their news.
Media
o Before the widespread use of the Internet, broadcast journalism was faster than print journalism because news broadcasts could be made at any time of the day, and newspapers often only printed once a day. Television journalists also had the advantage of showing video. Print journalists had advantages in that they were able to spend more time reporting their stories and could write more in-depth pieces than typical television or radio news reports.
Reporting
o When selecting news to report for a broadcast news outlet, timeliness is one of the most important factors. Broadcast news' strength is its immediacy, so reporting on a breaking story is important for its journalists. Also, broadcast news often relies on visual or audio components. Print journalists, before the web, had to look for new angles to write about so readers got new information they didn't learn from watching the news the night before. For example, if a city's mayor resigned, a broadcast news outlet would report on the resignation with a video of the mayor's press conference that day, and the next day a newspaper might report about what experts think will happen to the city without the mayor.
Writing Style
o Writing for broadcast news focuses on making the story easy to read and understand aloud. Sentences must be kept short. The content of a news broadcast must be immediately clear because a viewer cannot hear the segment again to clarify. In print journalism, writers can write more complex sentences, but they maintain short paragraphs. Print journalists are often instructed to write at an 8th grade level so no matter a reader's education level, they can understand the report.
Blurring in the Digital Age
o The lines between print and broadcast journalism have blurred as more people began getting news from websites. Most news outlets have websites where print or broadcast journalists are expected to post stories online as quickly as possible. Print journalists have also begun using more images and videos in their online reporting. Both television viewership and newspaper readership have declined.
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