Newspaper Jargon

Front 1

Byline

Back 1

Tells who wrote the story and may include the authors title.

Front 2

Column

Back 2

Vertical division of the page that helps to give it structure. Newspaper stories and images are measured in column inches- the number of columns wide by inches long.

Front 3

Cutline/Caption

Back 3

Explains what is happening in a photograph or illustration. The term "cut" was first used when images in the newspaper were printed from carved wood and etched metal. This may include a photo credit.

Front 4

Dateline

Back 4

Location where an event took place and sometimes the date, usually at the very start of a story. Date and location were first used when news often took days to reach a reader.

Front 5

Editorial

Back 5

A column featured on the editorial page that express an opinion of the newspaper and encourages the reader to take action.

Front 6

Fact

Back 6

Statement that can be proven (not an opinion).

Front 7

Feature Story

Back 7

One in which the basic purpose is one other than news.

Front 8

Five W's and H

Back 8

Information always included in a news story and answering the questions who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Front 9

Flag/Logo

Back 9

Name of the newspaper as it appears atop Page 1.

Front 10

Graphic

Back 10

Use of lines, screens, boxes, and large first letters to break up areas of space on the page.

Front 11

Gutter

Back 11

Margins between facing pages in the vertical fold.

Front 12

Headline

Back 12

Large type written and designed to summarize a story and attract the reader's attention.

Front 13

Index

Back 13

Tells the reader where regularly featured pages, such as sports, weather, and local news, can be found.

Front 14

Jumpline

Back 14

Line that tells the reader on which page a story is continued.

Front 15

Lead

Back 15

First paragraph of the story that summarizes it and/or grabs the reader's attention.

Front 16

News

Back 16

Information provided about an event shortly after it occurs.

Front 17

Masthead

Back 17

Formal statement of the newspaper's name, officers, management, and place of publication, usually on the editorial page.

Front 18

Quotation

Back 18

Statement made by another person. A direct quotation is exactly what the person said and is placed in quotation marks. An indirect quote paraphrases what the person said and is not in quotation marks.

Front 19

Sidebar

Back 19

Brief story with a special angle that goes with the main story

Front 20

Wire Story

Back 20

One written by a reporter working for a news service.