English for Media: Essential Vocabulary

"byline"

A line at the top of an article giving the author's name and sometimes their title or publication.

"Her byline appeared on the front page of the national newspaper for the first time."

"lead (lede)"

The opening sentence or paragraph of a news story that summarises the most important facts.

"The editor told him to rewrite the lead — it buried the most important information too deep."

"inverted pyramid"

A journalistic writing structure that places the most newsworthy information first, followed by supporting details.

"She followed the inverted pyramid structure so readers could stop at any point and still understand the story."

"off the record"

Information shared by a source that a journalist agrees not to publish or attribute to that source.

"The minister spoke off the record about the cabinet reshuffle, and the reporter honoured that agreement."

"embargo"

A request by a source not to publish or broadcast information until a specified date and time.

"The press release was sent under embargo until midnight, so no outlets published before then."

"attribution"

Crediting the source of a statement, fact, or quote within a news story.

"Proper attribution is essential in journalism — every disputed claim must trace back to a named source."

"scoop"

An exclusive story published by one news outlet before all its competitors.

"The investigative team got the scoop on the data breach three days before any other publication."

"dateline"

A line at the start of a news article indicating the place and sometimes the date of reporting.

"The dateline read NAIROBI — signalling that the correspondent had filed the story from Kenya."

"on air"

Broadcasting live or being heard and seen by an audience at that exact moment.

"The presenter reminded the crew that they would be on air in thirty seconds."

"package"

A pre-recorded broadcast news story that includes reporter narration, interviews, and visuals.

"The correspondent filed a two-minute package from the disaster zone for the evening bulletin."

"voiceover"

A narration recorded over video footage or images without the speaker appearing on screen.

"The documentary used a calm voiceover to guide viewers through the historical archive footage."

"stand-up"

A piece-to-camera shot where a broadcast journalist appears on screen to report from a location.

"She recorded her stand-up outside the courthouse to give viewers a sense of the scene."

"cutaway"

A brief shot inserted into a broadcast sequence to cover an edit or provide visual context.

"The editor used a cutaway of the crowd to hide the awkward jump cut in the interview."

"soundbite"

A short, memorable clip of someone speaking, selected from a longer interview for broadcast use.

"The politician's soundbite about the economy led every news bulletin that evening."

"anchor"

The main presenter who hosts a news programme from a studio, introducing reports and interviewing guests.

"The anchor kept the broadcast running smoothly even as breaking news changed the running order."

"running order"

The planned sequence of items in a news programme, decided by producers before broadcast.

"The producer rearranged the running order at the last minute to lead with the election result."

"click-through rate"

The percentage of readers who click a headline or link out of those who saw it, used to measure engagement.

"The headline rewrite doubled the click-through rate without changing the story's substance."

"native advertising"

Paid content designed to look and read like organic editorial content on a news site.

"The publication labelled the native advertising clearly to maintain reader trust."

"SEO headline"

A headline written to rank in search engine results by including keywords readers are likely to search.

"The digital editor changed the print headline to an SEO headline before publishing online."

"paywall"

A system restricting access to online content unless the reader pays a subscription or one-off fee.

"The newspaper moved to a metered paywall, allowing five free articles per month before requiring payment."

"aggregator"

A website or app that collects and displays news stories from multiple sources in one place.

"Many readers now get their news through aggregators rather than visiting individual news sites directly."

"viral content"

Online content that spreads rapidly and widely through sharing on social media platforms.

"The satirical video became viral content overnight, reaching millions of views within 24 hours."

"engagement metrics"

Data measuring how audiences interact with content, including shares, comments, time on page, and scroll depth.

"The analytics team presented engagement metrics to show which story formats resonated most with readers."

"breaking news alert"

An immediate notification sent to subscribers or app users when a major news event occurs.

"The breaking news alert woke millions of readers at 3 a.m. with the story of the unexpected election result."

"fact-checking"

The process of verifying the accuracy of statements, data, and claims before or after publication.

"The magazine's fact-checking process caught a critical error in the statistics before the issue went to print."

"conflict of interest"

A situation where a journalist's personal interests could compromise their objectivity or editorial decisions.

"He disclosed the conflict of interest to his editor before agreeing to cover the story."

"editorial independence"

The freedom of a news outlet to make editorial decisions without interference from advertisers or owners.

"The broadcaster defended its editorial independence after the government criticised its coverage."

"correction"

A published acknowledgement that previously reported information was inaccurate, with the right facts provided.

"The newspaper issued a correction the following day after the original figure was shown to be wrong."

"defamation"

A false statement of fact published or broadcast that damages a person's reputation; includes libel (written) and slander (spoken).

"The journalist was sued for defamation after publishing allegations that could not be substantiated."

"source protection"

The ethical and sometimes legal obligation of a journalist not to reveal the identity of a confidential source.

"She went to prison rather than reveal the name of her source, citing source protection as a fundamental principle."

"right of reply"

The opportunity given to individuals or organisations criticised in a news story to comment before publication.

"Good journalistic practice requires giving the right of reply to anyone making serious accusations."

"balance"

The practice of presenting multiple perspectives on a controversial issue to give audiences a fair picture.

"Critics argued the documentary lacked balance by interviewing only supporters of the policy."

"press release"

An official written statement issued to the news media to announce news about an organisation.

"The company sent out a press release announcing the merger before trading began on Monday."

"media kit"

A package of promotional materials provided to journalists and advertisers describing an outlet's audience and advertising options.

"The sales team prepared a media kit showing the magazine's reach and demographic data for potential advertisers."

"earned media"

Free coverage gained through news stories, social shares, or word of mouth, as opposed to paid advertising.

"The product launch generated significant earned media after the viral unboxing video was shared widely."

"spin"

The practice of presenting information selectively or favourably to influence public perception of an issue or person.

"Journalists accused the spokesperson of putting a positive spin on data that clearly showed falling standards."

"media training"

Coaching given to executives and spokespersons on how to communicate effectively and handle journalist interviews.

"The CEO underwent media training before the product recall announcement to avoid damaging sound bites."

"advertorial"

Advertising presented in the style and format of editorial content, usually labelled as "sponsored" or "advertisement".

"Readers were confused about whether the piece was genuine journalism or an advertorial paid for by the brand."

"circulation"

The number of copies of a print publication distributed per edition, used as a measure of reach and advertising value.

"The newspaper's circulation fell by 15% as more readers switched to the digital edition."

"above the fold"

The upper half of a newspaper front page, or the visible portion of a webpage before scrolling — prime space for important content.

"The editor placed the election story above the fold to ensure maximum visibility on newsstands."

"media bias"

The tendency of a news outlet to present information in a way that favours a particular political, social, or commercial viewpoint.

"The media literacy course taught students to identify media bias by comparing coverage of the same event across outlets."

"framing"

The way a news story is presented, emphasising certain aspects while downplaying others to shape audience interpretation.

"The same unemployment data was given very different framing by left-leaning and right-leaning newspapers."

"gatekeeping"

The process by which editors and media organisations decide which stories are published and which are ignored.

"Social media has weakened traditional gatekeeping, allowing stories to circulate that would never have passed an editorial filter."

"agenda-setting"

The theory that media does not tell people what to think, but influences what topics they think about.

"Political scientists studied agenda-setting effects during the election, noting that television coverage drove voter priorities."

"disinformation"

False or misleading information deliberately created and spread to deceive the public.

"The government warned citizens about disinformation campaigns targeting the upcoming referendum."

"misinformation"

False or inaccurate information spread without necessarily intending to deceive.

"Misinformation about the vaccine spread rapidly on social media before fact-checkers could respond."

"churnalism"

Journalism produced quickly by reproducing press releases or wire copy with little or no independent reporting.

"Critics accused the outlet of churnalism after running three identical stories sourced entirely from the same PR agency."

"echo chamber"

An environment in which people only encounter information or opinions that reinforce their existing beliefs.

"The algorithm was criticised for creating an echo chamber by showing users only content they already agreed with."