As a journalist, it’s important to always be on the lookout for new story ideas. Sometimes, it can be difficult to come up with fresh angles and topics to write about. That’s where this blog post comes in! This post will discuss ways to get your next journalism story idea. So whether you’re looking for inspiration or need new ideas for your next piece, read on for some great tips!
10 Fresh Ideas for Journalism Topics
Regarding journalism, there are endless possibilities for topics to cover. But sometimes, coming up with a new angle on a current event or a fresh take on an evergreen topic can be challenging. If you’re feeling stuck, here are 10 ideas for journalism topics that might just give you the inspiration you need.
- The rise of digital news and its impact on traditional media outlets
- How social media has changed the way we consume news
- The role of investigative journalists in uncovering corruption and holding the powerful to account
- The changing landscape of newsrooms and what the future of journalism might look like
- The power of online petitions and their potential to create real change
- Why fact-checking and journalistic integrity is more important than ever
- How citizen journalism is changing the way we see the world
- The decline of local news and its impact on democracy
- The rise of ‘fake news’ and its consequences
- The importance of investigative journalism in the fight against climate change
These are just a few ideas to get you started – but remember, there are no bounds when it comes to topics in journalism! Be creative, be curious, and most importantly, be fearless in your pursuit of the truth.
5 local journalism story ideas
- Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a professional athlete? Get the inside scoop by interviewing a local sports star. Find out what they eat, how they train, and what their day-to-day life is really like.
- Go behind the scenes of your favorite restaurant. Talk to the chef, learn about the menu planning process, and see how the food is prepared. You might even get to try some new dishes!
- Are you interested in environmental issues? Write a story about a local business or organization working to make a difference. This could be a company developing new green technology or nonprofit fighting for stricter environmental regulations.
- Are you a history buff? Write about a little-known event or person from your town’s past. This could be anything from an intriguing crime story to an inspiring tale of someone who overcame great odds.
- Get to know your neighbors! Write profiles on some of the interesting people who live near you. You never know; you might just find your next best friend (or at least a good source for future stories!).
How Journalism Is Changing in the 21st Century
The landscape of journalism is changing rapidly. Thanks to the advent of the internet and the 24-hour news cycle, how news is consumed and reported has changed dramatically in recent years. Here are just a few ways journalism is evolving in the 21st century.
The rise of digital media has had a profound impact on journalism. In the past, the news was primarily consumed through print publications such as newspapers and magazines. Today, however, more and more people are getting their news online through digital platforms such as websites, blogs, and social media. As a result, traditional news outlets have seen a decrease in readership and are struggling to adapt.
One of the most significant changes to journalism in recent years has been the introduction of the 24-hour news cycle. In the past, the news was reported daily, with new stories appearing in print once a day. Today, there is a constant demand for new content thanks to cable news channels and online news sources. As a result, journalists must be able to work quickly and efficiently to report on breaking news stories as they happen.
Another trend reshaping journalism is the increasing use of opinion and analysis in news reporting. In the past, news stories were typically objective accounts of events. However, as opinions have become more polarised in recent years, there has been a shift towards stories that take a more subjective stance. This change has been driven by readers and advertisers looking for content that reflects their beliefs and values.
The Difference Between an Editorial and a Newspaper Article
If you’re new to the world of Journalism, you may wonder what the difference is between an editorial and a newspaper article. Both are written pieces that aim to inform the reader, but there are some key distinctions between the two. Let’s take a closer look at the key differences between editorials and newspaper articles.
The most obvious difference between an editorial and a newspaper article is who writes them. The editorial board writes editorials of a publication, which typically consists of the publication’s top leaders. Newspaper articles, on the other hand, are written by individual journalists.
Another key difference has to do with objective vs. subjective reporting. Editorials are inherently subjective, as they represent the editorial board’s opinion. On the other hand, newspaper articles strive to be objective, offering readers both sides of any given issue.
Finally, editorials typically deal with broader issues, while newspaper articles focus on narrower, more specific topics. For example, an editorial might discuss gun control in America, while a newspaper article might discuss a mass shooting in one town.
How to Write Like a Journalist
You may have been a journalist for years, written hundreds of articles, and reported on some of the biggest stories in recent history. But there’s one thing that you haven’t quite mastered: writing like a journalist. Sure, you know all the journalistic principles and follow them religiously, but your writing still sounds stiff and formal. You want to write like the greats – like Ernest Hemingway or Hunter S. Thompson – but you can’t find your voice.
Here are four tips on how to write like a journalist. By following these tips, you’ll be able to add some flair to your writing and make your articles more enjoyable to read.
Find Your Voice
The first step to writing like a journalist is finding your voice. Every great writer’s unique voice sets them apart from the rest. And while it may take some time to find yours, you must keep searching until you do. Once you find your voice, stick with it. Consistency is key in writing, and readers will appreciate being able to identify your articles based on your distinct writing style.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you should never experiment with different styles or voices. As a journalist, you must be adaptable and write in different styles depending on the situation. But if you can find a style of writing that works well for you and stick with it most of the time, your readers will thank you for it.
Use Simple Language
One of the hallmarks of great journalistic writing is its simplicity. Journalists are not known for using fancy words or long-winded sentence structures. Instead, they opt for shorter sentences and simpler language to communicate their point as quickly and effectively as possible. This doesn’t mean that you should dumb down your writing or avoid using big words – after all, part of being a great writer is knowing when to use which words – but it does mean that you should make an effort to keep your language as simple as possible.
Write Like You Talk
Another way to simplify your language is by writing like you talk. This means using contractions (I’m, don’t, couldn’t) and informal language whenever possible. This may seem counterintuitive – isn’t formal language supposed to be better? – but trust us, it works. Many famous writers have used this technique to great effect. One prime example is Ernest Hemingway, who was known for his straightforward writing style. By imitating Hemingway’s style (or the style of any other great writer), you can infuse some much-needed personality into your work without compromising on quality or accuracy.
Be Concise
Last but not least, always strive for conciseness in your writing. This doesn’t mean that every article needs to be short – sometimes longer pieces are necessary – but it does mean that every word should count. Every sentence should further the story, and every paragraph should move the article forward until you conclude. This may seem like a lot of pressure but trust us: once you become concise, it becomes second nature. And when readers see that they can rely on you to get straight to the point without any unnecessary fluff, they’ll be more likely to keep coming back for more.
How Emerging Technologies Are Changing Journalism
Journalists have always had to keep up with the latest technologies, but never has there been such a rapid pace of change. In the past decade, we’ve seen the rise of social media and smartphones, and now we’re on the cusp of new virtual and augmented reality technologies that will change how we consume news. Here’s a look at how some emerging technologies are already changing journalism.
Smartphones
It’s hard to remember when we didn’t have constant access to the internet in our pockets, but it wasn’t that long ago. The introduction of the smartphone changed everything, and journalists quickly adopted them as a newsgathering tool. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for reporters to break news stories using nothing but their smartphones.
Smartphones have become so integral to journalism that they’ve spawned a new category of mobile journalism or mojo. Mojo reporters are dedicated to creating content solely for mobile consumption. This often means writing shorter articles and creating videos and graphics that can be easily consumed on a small screen. But as smartphone audiences continue to grow, so does the demand for mojo content.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is still in its infancy, but it’s already starting to make waves in journalism. Last year, The New York Times made history by sending out one million Google Cardboard viewers to its subscribers so they could experience VR for themselves. The Times has since produced several VR experiences, immersing readers in everything from the Syrian refugee crisis to life inside North Korea.
But VR isn’t just about exotic locations; it can also be used to tell more down-to-earth stories. For example, The Washington Post used VR to give readers an intimate look at how teenagers experience anxiety and depression. And NPR used VR to take listeners inside the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. As storage costs continue to drop and headsets become more user-friendly, we can only expect VR experiences like these to become more commonplace in newsrooms worldwide.
Augmented Reality
While virtual reality immerses you in a completely artificial environment, augmented reality (AR) overlays digital information on top of the real world. This technology is still very much in its early stages, but there are already a few examples of how journalists use it.
The Economist created an AR app that lets readers explore data visualization in a new way. Using their smartphone or tablet, readers can point their device at certain images in the magazine’s print edition and see additional information about the data being visualized.
Bloomberg has also experimented with AR to create an interactive chart that lets users explore stock prices in greater detail. And last year, during Super Bowl 50, USA Today used AR to bring NFL statistics to life inside their app. As AR technology continues to develop, we can only imagine the ways journalists will use it in the future.