Seema Narendran Ramnarain Ruia College Columns and Editorials.

Seema NarendranRamnarain Ruia College

Columnsand Editorials


• A column is usually a feature printed regularly on the same page and has the same title over a period of time

• Apart from editorials most large newspapers have feature columns

• The feature columnists as what a writer is sometimes called is allowed to have an attitude and opinion within certain limits


• Newspapers started featuring columns some twenty five years ago

• Columns mostly deal with human problems, political issues, satire, health, journalism, cinema, tourism, fashion government affairs, issues affecting people etc


• Such columns magnify some issues which are perhaps ignored or not given due importance by the newspaper.

• Featured columnist are also prone to write about their pets, children old sweet hearts, some gossip about their friends and where they hang out.

• The writers name may be given in a byline or even as part of the title


• The writer is usually an authority on his/her subject and is capable of finding fresh material for each issue and presenting it in a lively manner

• Many writers sell their columns to different newspapers, they are called as freelancers

• The freelancers need to be experts in their chosen field t qualify as writers


• Columnists who are not staff reporters are given a free view to express their opinion

• The opinions expressed by the columnists is entirely his/her own and the editor is not responsible for any legal issues arising against any given opinion in the column

• Opinion pieces are generally written by seasoned journalists or personalities who are well known in their respective fields


• However care has to be taken while selecting a columnist, as he/ she has to have an objective take on all sides of the issue or has to suitably justify a stance

• A newspaper becomes more interesting when two people express entirely different opinions on the same issue, for e.g. “Times View and “Counter View”


• The reader gets a wider perspective of the issues discussed

• It may not involve a change of opinion for the reader but he / she may get highly influenced by it

• Indian columns are mostly about politics, economics and other hard news

• It has remained so because Indian journalism from its advent has involved around politics


• There are two types of people who write columns

• The in- house writers• The freelancers

• The in- house writers / columnists have to confine themselves to the policies and time frame – work of the publication

These constraints, restrictions are not applicable to the freelancers


Need for columns• Add freshness and objectivity to the paper

due to its varied range of topics and point of view

• A good column creates debate and debate is the hallmark of a free press in a working democracy

• The issues are laid on in public which helps them to form opinion


Types of columns

• Syndicate columns

• The personal columns (agony aunt columns, medical advice, beauty queries, tarot, astrology, etiquette, grooming )


Syndicate columns

Syndicate columns are distributed by syndicate services, which pay the columnists fees based on how many newspapers buy the service

But in a city, more than one paper cannot carry a syndicate column


Personal Columns

• Of this, the most questionable is the agony aunts columns

• Many a time celebrities are the ones who give advice to readers in matters of love and life

• What makes them qualified to tell a 13 – year old how to deal with personal issues


Snippets

• Short, humorous, entertaining paragraphs written to convey some gossip, or explain some situation or event

• Snippets should be brief and snappy not ponderous and heavy

• It is not intended for serious reading, e.g. Boomtown Rap


• Used for celebrity coverage, coverage of films etc

• Mostly accompanied by visuals

• Requires a lot of creativity and the ability to effectively play around with words

• Use of slang is accepted, eye-catching headlines


Editorials


• Editorials are opinions or views of the newspaper regarding a particular issue

• The editorial is the only piece of writing wherein the writer can voice the newspapers opinions, views and stand on an issue

• As the editorial reflects the stand of the publisher as well, editorial writers are seasoned writers who have earned their laurels.


• In every other page of the newspaper the reporter or writer has to undertake the task of only informing not analysing

• Two types of editorials – signed and unsigned

• Unsigned edits are written by staff writers, after a consensus has been formed in the editorial department about an issue


• Signed edits are columns which appear in the editorial pages with bylines or even mug shots that identify the person writing them

• These are short personal essays reflecting solely the writers views on an issue


• The editorial page of the newspaper has some peculiarities it is the one which is the least read or recalled, but the writers of this page are some of the highest paid

• As far as advertisers go this is a bad thing.

• Every page of the newspaper costs money to produce and hence it should manage to ‘grab eyeballs’


• So innovations have been made to the editorial section.

• Previously there used to be no photographs on editorial page, but currently pictures are used

• This is done to make the pages visually appealing and soften the look of the page. The white column surrounding the photographs help in reducing the severity of the black page

• Columns like The Speaking Tree and spiritual discourses are an assured way of getting readership


• The Maharashtra Times has constantly reinvented its editorial pages from inviting a different spiritual guru every week to write on religious issues

• Asking readers to contribute on caste issues was a major trend started in MT, which generated a lot of response

Seema Narendran Ramnarain Ruia College Columns and Editorials.

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