Text type: Broadsheet article

Definition

The name broadsheet traditionally refers to the larger (hence broader) size of these newspapers in
comparison to their tabloid counterparts. However, in recent years, many newspapers (in the UK
specifically) have decided to adopt a more compact size, to allow for convenience when read on public
transportation and commutes. The Guardian, for example, has switched to a smaller format called the
Berliner, but nevertheless it retains the label of a broadsheet.

Nevertheless, the terms broadsheet and tabloid do not refer only to the newspaper size in these days.
These terms are rooted also as a description of the type of newspaper according to the news they
present. Broadsheet is perceived as a reliable and trustworthy press, whereas tabloid is more about
scandals, life of celebrities and disasters.

Distinguishing features and conventions

Features Description
Headlines Headline is the heading located at the top of the article, intended to attract the
interest of the reader and to give readers an immediate gist of the entire article.

By-line A sentence that states the author of the article.

Lead The lead sentence captures the attention of the reader and sums up the focus of
the story. The lead also establishes the subject, sets the tone and guides reader
into the article.

In a news story, the introductory paragraph tells the most important facts and
answers the questions, namely, the 5 Ws. In a featured story, the author may
choose to open in any number of ways, including the following:
an anecdote
a shocking or startling statement
pure information and facts
a description
a quote
a question
a comparison

Body The progression of most broadsheet articles, or any piece of news reporting,
takes the approach of an inverted pyramid. The widest part at the top
represents the most substantial, interesting, and important information the
writer means to convey, illustrating that this kind of material should head the
article, while the end of the article is left for less important pieces of
information.

The purpose of this is so that readers can immediately grasp the gist of the
article, after which they will decide whether or not to proceed reading the rest
of the article. Secondly, the inverted pyramid approach allows editors to
remove excess words from the bottom up (in the event that the article needs to
be shortened), without compromising the quality and substance of the article.

Quotes are used to add interest and provide evidence and first-hand accounts
to back up the story. These can be direct (e.g. The PM stated: ) or indirect
(e.g. the PM remarks that upcoming budget cuts)

The progression of the article may take several approaches, such as:
chronological the article may be a narrative of some sort.
cause and effect the reasons and results of an event or process are
examined.
classification items in an article are grouped to help aid
understanding
compare and contrast two or more items are examined side-by-side
to see their similarities and differences
list A simple item-by-item run-down of pieces of information.
question and answer such as an interview with a celebrity or
expert.

Text layout Texts are typically written in columns.

Photos Broadsheet articles typically only displays one primary photo (especially if the
article is located on the front page), under which there is often a caption to
elucidate its relevance to the article. Broadsheet articles are very modest with
illustrations or any forms of pictorial representations, being primarily text-
dense by nature.
Articles located in the spreads within may not contain any photos at all.

Tone In the Anglophonic press, broadsheet newspapers are commonly perceived to
be more intellectual in content than their tabloid counterparts. (N.B. This
connotation does not exist in newspapers coming from other countries).
Their greater size is used to examine stories in more depth, while carrying less
sensationalist and celebrity material.


Newsworthiness

Broadsheet newspapers often have a set of criteria that serves to determine which stories are deemed
worthy of publishing. A difference in the standards of newsworthiness explains why some stories can
only be seen on a broadsheet, while others only on a tabloid. A list of widely accepted news values was
created by Johann Galtung and Mari Ruge (Kroupova, 25), which includes:

Frequency: As newspapers are published daily, single events are more likely to be reported
than a long process. Newspapers report about what happens that day, pertinently the day
before, they present up-to-date information for example about the earthquake applicable for
that day.
Threshold: the extent and size of that particular problem. A devastating earthquake in a well
known country such as Japan causing thousands of dead is more likely to be published than a
weak earthquake in the middle of the ocean.
Unambiguity: For the reader to be able to understand the content, it is necessary for the
journalist to write clearly and understandably.
Meaningfulness: Events connected with that particular country the newspaper is writing for
are more interesting for the reader than events they do not understand and which do not have
any connection to that country.
Consonance: refers to types of events which people either expect to happen or want to happen.
Unexpectedness The most newsworthy events are those which happens without warning, are
unusual and unexpected. An earthquake in Japan, for example, is undoubtedly an unexpected
event and thus would be very newsworthy.
Reference to elite people

Contents of broadsheet newspapers

Broadsheet newspapers are often divided up into specific sections, thus each article is listed under
different sections depending on their topics of interest and contents. Broadsheet newspapers typically
cover stories relating to a few common topics regarded to be significant and worthwhile, such as
politics, business or finance (see table below). These newspapers would not usually cover stories
relating to more trivial matters such as celebrity gossips, beauty, fashion, etc.


(Source: Connell, 10)

Example 1

Figure 1 (next page): The layout of The Guardians front page as seen on on 1
st
February 2014. The front
page is dominated by a lead story, which in this case is said to be an exclusive cover, accompanied by
a large, bold headline. One single, large picture is used for visual impact. The level of newsworthiness
for this particular story probably would have trumped others in the issue, as such giving it the front-
page status. However it is convention to not write the entire story on the front page, as the story is
usually continued in the inner spreads.








Example 2

Ed Miliband's Labour reforms will give more
power to union chiefs

Labour insiders and academics say reforming trade union affiliation rules could
concentrate power and money in the hands of the union bosses

[photo]

Ed Miliband, leader of the Labour party. Photo: Getty Images
By Tim Ross , Political Correspondent
7:55AM GMT 02 Feb 2014
Ed Milibands plans to reform Labours links with the trade unions could concentrate more money in
the hands of union bosses, party sources have admitted.
The Labour leader has announced sweeping changes to the way the party signs up supporters from
trade unions in an attempt to make the party more democratic.
His proposals will put an end to the automatic enrolment of union members into the Labour party.
However, party sources said that the reforms could mean more funds come under the control of
union leaders.
Under Mr Miliband's plan, all individual members of unions which are affiliated to Labour will be
asked to choose whether they want to donate money to the party and become associate members
themselves.

Currently, most union members cannot choose to pay into their unions political fund without also
agreeing that 3 of that money should go to Labour in an affiliation fee.

Under the new system, workers will still be expected to pay the same overall amount to their unions
political fund, even if they choose not to become associate members of Labour.

But that the 3 fee which would previously have been automatically given to Labour will instead sit in
the unions coffers to be spent at the discretion of the unions leadership.

Professor Roger Seifert, an expert in industrial relations at the Wolverhampton University, said the
reforms would put union bosses in an even more powerful position to influence Labour policy in the
run up to an election.

The big three unions Unison, the GMB and Unite will still give large sums to the Labour Party
because they really dont want a Tory government, he said.
But this reform alters the nature of the influence and in some cases the bargaining position of the
union leadership may be strengthened, particularly in the run up to the election in terms of what is in
the manifesto.

Mr Milibands proposals, drawn up by the partys former general secretary, Lord Collins, will be
presented to a meeting of Labours national executive committee on Tuesday. They will then be
voted on at a special party conference on March 1.

Under the plan, every union member who chooses to become an associate member of Labour will
then be asked whether they want to become an affiliated supporter of the party.

Affiliated supporters, who will supply Labour with their addresses and contact details, will be asked
to take part in local campaigns and will receive a vote in leadership elections.

The role of MPs in choosing the party leader will be reduced, although they will still be required to
choose the candidates for the job who will then contest the national leadership election.

Mr Miliband believes his reforms will refresh the partys grass roots and recruit thousands of new
activists to help in election campaigns.

It is about letting the people back into our politics: giving people a real choice and a real voice in our
party; changing Labour so that Labour can change our country, he said.