MEDIA WRITING SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS

KNOWLEDGE OF AP STYLE

Most media outlets use AP style—the style established and constantly updated by the Associated Press—as the foundation for basic news and media writing. AP style provides consistency in writing across media outlets and publications. The stylebook is available both online and in hard copy. In general, AP style has evolved to ensure that media writing is accurate, impartial, and clear to the audience.https://www.apstylebook.com/

KNOWLEDGE OF GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION

Media professionals need to hold  a high standard when it comes to knowledge of grammar and punctuation. here are a few basic grammar and punctuation rules:

Use simple sentences that follow the subject, verb, object order (example: Rama killed Ravana).

• Use active, not passive voice. Active voice helps with clarity and concise writing. Understand word choice and meaning:
• affect, effect
• its, it’s
• they’re, their, there
• accept, except
• நிலா, விலா,விழா,
• கலை, களை,
• பயன்பாடு,பயண்பாடு
• குலம், குளம்,
• பழம்,பலம்,
• மலை,மழை,

• Be aware of comma uses:

1. Set off modifiers and Separate an introductory phrase or word, Before a conjunction, When writing a series of items (three or more).

ABILITY TO SIMPLIFY INFORMATION

As a media professional, you will need to synthesize and make sense of a great deal of information for our audience, often under a strict deadline. It is very essential to have a good storytelling skill, and the ability to focus on the essential information.

FOCUS ON ACCURACY AND DETAILS

When we write for the media, we represent not only our personal brand but also the broader organization for which you are producing content.

Precise writing and transparency give newsrooms credibility; misinformation can severely diminish the integrity of the media outlet.

There are types of accuracy

1. Document accuracy refers to the proper coverage of our topics in appropriate detail. Often an accurate document needs to focus clearly on a problem. These writing tools help us to focus our writing effort .
2. Stylistic accuracy concerns the careful use of language to express meaning.

Ø  Accurate language requires the careful use of paragraph and sentence structure and word choice to describe and analyze our topics effectively.

Ø  As a writer, you gain command of accuracy by studying the elements of style and by learning to apply those elements to our drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading.

Ø  Stylistic accuracy is also a matter of using words precisely.

3.      Technical accuracy requires stylistic accuracy but is not based solely on it. Technical accuracy depends on the writer's conceptual mastery of the subject and its vocabulary, as well as on his or her ability to analyze and shape data with a minimum of distortion.

WRITING OBJECTIVELY

 

The word objective refers to facts that are provable or verifiable.   Objective writing is writing that you can verify through evidence and facts. writing objectively means remain as neutral as possible through the use of facts, statistics, and research. This type of writing is best for  a writer need to present unbiased information to an audience and then let them determine their own opinion.

Objectivity is one of the principles of journalism, according to the code of ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists. Media writing should provide well-rounded analyses and stories that include all major perspectives.

 

Being objective means a journalist must concerned about facts and are not influenced by personal feelings or biases.

 

Try to consider both sides of an argument and avoid making value judgements by using words such as wonderful or appalling.

 

Techniques for making your writing more objective

Be clear in expressing your ideas:

several  ⇒  10, most of the population  ⇒  70%, some time ago  ⇒  three years ago; or in 2006

Avoid intensifiers which can tend to exaggerate writing in an inaccurate , subjective way:

• For example, awfully, very, really.

Balanced in your work, professional and believable:

• Try to avoid making value judgements through use of words such as amazing or dreadful.

First vs. third person

• First person: I, we, me, us
• Second person: you
• Third person: he, she, it, they, him, her, them

It is appropriate to use the first person (e.g. reflective writing). However, for other assignments the third person is preferred. Sometimes a mixture of the first and third person should be used for different purposes.

 

CLARITY

Media professionals generally write for a large, mainstream audience. Clear and concise writing makes it easier for a wide variety of groups to understand the core message. Complex sentence structures and jargon writing are not appropriate for diverse populations. Use simple sentences to get your point across.Clarity in writing means the ease with which a reader can understand you. It means avoiding unintended ambiguity or confusing sentence structure. 

 Clarity in writing refers to writing’s ability to convey:

• Coherent, intelligible meaning , readers can understand the writing and what the author is trying to say, to a reasonable degree)
• Sharpness of image or idea 

AVOID SUBJECTIVE WRITING

A subjective point of view is something based on one’s opinions, perspectives, beliefs, discoveries, desires, and feelings. It has no concern with right or wrong, other than the person’s opinion of what is right and wrong. Likewise, subjective writing or point of view is based on the writer’s own observation and experience. It focuses on the writer’s personal point of view and not built on facts that others see or things others go through.

Third person point of view can also be subjective. It is known as “limited omniscience,” in which a writer knows every detail about a character and sees the whole story through that character’s eyes.

Examples of subjective sources of information

• Personal letters
• Diaries
• Blogs
• Social media posts

Difference between Subjective and Objective

The major difference between subjective and objective is that subjective information is based on just one person’s feelings, assumptions, and opinions. It has a viewpoint of that person regardless of information or arguments it offers. Objective, on the other hand, is the information a writer or speaker provides outside of his/her personal opinions or feelings. It is based on facts.