News Literacy

Resources for learning about news production, evaluating news sources, and "fake news."

News vs. Editorials & Opinion Pieces

BE MINDFUL...

Newspapers serve communities in different ways.

  • They provide news and analysis on local, national, international issues of import.
  • AND they shape and reflect public opinion through the editorial pages.
News Articles Editorials & Opinion Pieces

•    information is neutral; facts are verifiable. If opinions are expressed, they are the clearly delineated as opinions of experts or interviewees, not the opinion of the author

•    tone and word choice is formal

•    generally offers more than one point of view.  Some of them may be contrasting

•    attempt to advocate, persuade, make recommendations, speculate, analyze

•    opinion is that of the editorial board (editorial) or author (op-eds, opinion columnists, and letters to the editor)

•    tone may be colloquial, angry, praiseworthy, sarcastic...etc.

•    offers one point of view

•    sometimes labeled as: blog, op-ed, letter to the editor, editorial, commentary

 

Compare two Seattle Times articles on student funding. (Click on image to enlarge)

  • The news article reports on recent layoffs at the local Department of Education office and the negative impact on both students with loan issues and employees who have lost their jobs.
  • The editorial argues that proposed state funding cuts to K-12 education will inequitably hit at-risk communities and ultimately cost more than it saves.

excerpts-school funding

Read the full text:

Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion

Source: "Distinguishing Fact from Opinion" by Snap Language, is licensed under a Standard YouTube License.