Reading A Newspaper

The newspaper is a reading material for news stories. But, it also gives
different other kinds of reading articles like the editorial, column articles,
advertisement copies and special reports. From one newspaper to another, the
news stories are about anything: government, politics, economics, weather,
health, sports, movies, business and name it – the newspaper carries it. Out of
these subjects, the newspaper gives information of facts, opinions, arguments,
interpretations.

B. Types of Newspaper
A newspaper is either a broadsheet or a tabloid. Or, it may be a national
newspaper or a local or community newspaper.
1. Broadsheet
A broadsheet is a big newspaper and is generally national, which means
a newspaper for nationwide circulation.
2. Tabloid
A tabloid is a newspaper half the size of a broadsheet and one that
circulates as local or community newspaper.

C. Parts of a Newspaper
For its parts, a newspaper may be considered in terms of its sections,
paging system or paging parts.

1. Parts According to Sections

These may be Section I, Section II, Section III. Or News Section, Opinion
Section, Entertainment Section, Life and Leisure Section, Business Section,
Sports Section, Classified Ads Section, etc.
2. Parts According to Paging System
These may be the Front Page, Editorial Page, Local News Page or
Community News Page, Foreign or World News Page, Business News Page,
Entertainment Page, Classified Ads Page, Sports Page, etc.
3. Parts in a Page
A. In the Front Page, these parts may be the masthead, folio, edition, ears,
headlines, byline, dateline, lead, major news story, side bar, cut, cutline.
a.1. Masthead – this is the name of the newspaper and is also called
nameplate.
a.2. Folio – this part, generally running under the masthead, gives the
following information: the city or province where the newspaper is published,
the date when it is published; the number of its volume, the number of its
sections and pages; the price of its copy; and the year when it was founded.
a.3. Edition – this part, also written generally under the masthead,
indicates whether the newspaper is Morning Edition, Afternoon Edition,
Evening Edition; or City Edition, Provincial Edition or Special Edition.
a.4. Ears – these are spaces or boxes at both sides of the nameplate.
Some newspapers however, have only one ear, either at the right side or at
the left side of the nameplate. In any case, these ears are often devoted to the
weather report, titles of some inside stories or advertisements.
a.5. Headlines – these may be an umbrella, a major story headline, side
bar headline, other news stories headlines, a teaser, a deck or a jump
headline.
The umbrella is the headline running on top of the nameplate and is
also called a skyline.
A major story headline is the title of the major news story 0f the day. It
is also called banner or streamer of the newspaper. It is printed in the biggest
and boldest type, running as one line across the page either from the extreme
left column to the extreme right column or only some columns. Or it may
come out in two decks but still in the biggest types, making it different from
the other headlines.
The side bar headline is the title of a side story of a major news story.
The other news stories headlines are the headlines of the other news
stories other than the major story.
A teaser is also called a kicker. This comes before any headline and this
is used to present or supply an additional information to make the headline
clear.
The deck is a secondary headline appearing between any headline and
the story of said headline.

a.6. Byline – this is the name of the writer of the news and this comes
after a headline.
a.7. Dateline – this gives the date and also the place of origin of the
news. This is found before the news lead.
a.8. Lead – this is generally the summary of the news story given in the
first paragraph. But, it may also run to the second paragraph. This is the part
that gives the what, who, where, when, why and how information of the news.
a.9. Major News Story – this is the story considered by the editor as the
most important. It is also called the main headline story or banner story.
a.10. Side Bar – this is a side story of one story that is carried by the
paper. This is written when a news story happens to have several highlights
that instead of containing them all in one news item, one or two of which are
reported as a side story of one news story about the same subject.
a.11. Cut – this is the picture used to make the news more visible to the
readers. This is found not only in the front page but also in all or most of the
other pages.
a.12. cut line – this is the caption of the cut.
 B. In the Inside Pages, the news stories in the inside pages may also have a
deck, kicker, byline, dateline, lead, side bar, cut or cut line. Therefore, such
parts may also be found in the inside pages.
C. In an Editorial Page, these are generally the editorial, editorial cartoon,
editorial box, columns, column articles.
c.1. Editorial – this is the newspaper’s opinion on an issue. Some
newspapers carry only one like this but some others carry two or three.
c.2. Editorial Cartoon – this gives the newspaper’s interpretation of its
opinion on an issue presented in a caricature. Thus, evokes laughter. But,
generally only at a first glance at it. A second look at it and a serious thought
about it may make it come out not funny at all but rather something to worry
about.
c.3. Editorial Box - this is a boxed portion on the page, where the
Editorial Board is listed. Herein are again the masthead and the names of
people responsible for the newspaper, from the president, vice-president,
publisher, general manager, editor-in-chief, to section editors.
c.4. Columns - these are the titles of the regular spaces of columnists in
the newspaper.
c.5. Column Articles - these are articles of opinions, explanations or
interpretations of issues by columnists.

D. Scanning a Newspaper
Doing this means knowing first what information you want to discover from
the newspaper. Then knowing the part of the newspaper that will give you this
information. Then go to the said page and skip search for said information.
Examples:
1. If you want to know the date of issue of the newspaper, you go to the front
page and scan for it in the folio.
2. If you want to know the publisher of the newspaper, you go to the editorial
page and scan for it in the Editorial Box.
E. Skimming a Newspaper
Doing this means previewing, overviewing and surveying a newspaper.
1. To preview
a) Read the title or name.
b) Read the place and date of publication.
c) Read the Editorial Box for the Editorial Board.
2. To overview
a) Determine the sections.
b) Read the title of each section.
c) Read the editor of each section.
d) Read the title of the different columns.
e) Read the columnist of each column.
3. To survey
a) Read the headlines on the front page and the inside pages.
b) Determine the headline story.
c) Determine the subject of each the editorial.
d) Determine the subject of column articles.
e) Determine the subject of business, politics, sports, environment
news and other news.
F. Reading a Newspaper Thoroughly
This means reading the newspaper from the first page to the last page or
reading the news, editorials, column articles from beginning to end and all the
advertisement copies it carries.
1. For News
This means reading it to get its headline, byline, dateline and the
story itself from the lead to the body and ending generally to get its “what”,
“who”, “when”, “why” facts, otherwise known as the five “W’s” of a news
and the “how”, otherwise known as the one “H” of the same news.

2. For Editorials
 This means reading an editorial from its beginning, to its body and
ending to get (1) the issue it takes up, (2) the opinion it gives to the
columnist, (3) the purpose it projects, and (4) the kind of editorial it
amounts to.

3. For Column Articles

This means reading a column article from the beginning to end to
take note of the following: (1) the title of the column, (2) the name of the
columnist, (3) the title of column article for the day, (4) the issue/s taken
up, (5) the point/s raised about the issue/s, (6) the columnist’s opinion/s
about the point/s raised on the issue/s.

4. For Advertisement Copies

This means reading the tagline, physical description and
psychological appeal of every consumer product displayed or classified on
the page. This can also mean checking on the number and kind of
advertisements carried by the newspaper.
 Worksheet
I. Read and analyze each item carefully. Choose the letter of the correct
answer. Write your answers on the boxes provided.

1. A type of newspaper which is half size of the broadsheet and

circulates as local or community newspaper.
a. Broadsheet c. Local Newspaper
b. Tabloid d. Community Newspaper

2. The name of the newspaper, also called as nameplate.

a. Folio c. Masthead
b. Edition d. Headlines

3. This is the headline running on top of the nameplate.

a. Umbrella c. Teaser
b. Deck d. Lead

4. These are the spaces or boxes at both sides of the nameplate and are
often devoted to weather report, title of some inside stories or
advertisements.
a. Major Story Line c. Cut
b. Side Bar Headline d. Ears

5. This is the caption of the cut.

a. Cut c. Byline
b. Cut Line d. Dateline

6. A boxed portion on the page where the Editorial Board is listed.

a. Columns c. Editorial Page
b. Editorial Box d. Editorial

7. This gives the date and place of origin of the news.

a. Dateline c. Sidebar
b. Byline d. Lead
 8. This is used to present or supply additional information and comes
before any headline which is also called a kicker.
a. Folio c. Cut
b. Deck d. Teaser

9. The picture used tom make the news more visible to the readers which
is found not only in the front page but in all or most of the other
pages.
a. Cut c. Dateline
b. Cutline d. Lead
10. This is also called the main headline story or banner story and
considered by the editor as the most important.
a. Major News Story c. Other News Story Headline
b. Deck d. Major Story Headline

II. Write T if the statement is true and F if false in the space provided.

1. A folio generally runs over the masthead of the newspaper.

2. A broadsheet is a big newspaper and generally for nationwide circulation.
3. The deck is a secondary headline that appears between any headline and
the story of a said headline.
4. Determining the subject of business, politics, sports, environment news
and other news belongs to overviewing a newspaper.
5. The title of a side story of a major news story is called side bar headline.
6. Parts according to paging system may be the masthead, folio, edition,
ears, etc.
7. Scanning a newspaper mean previewing, overviewing and surveying it.
8. Previewing a newspaper include reading its title or name.
9. Editorial is the newspaper’s interpretation of its opinion on an issue
which is presented in a caricature.
10.The side story of one story that is carried by the paper is called side bar.
III. Enumeration

A. Parts of a Newspaper
1.
2.
3.

B. Headlines consists of:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

C. Reading a Newspaper Thoroughly for:

1. 3.
2. 4.

D. Parts of a Newspaper in the Front Page

1. 7.
2. 8.
3. 9.
4. 10.
5. 11.
6. 12.

E. Skimming a Newspaper through overviewing

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
 Answer Key
I. Read and analyze each item carefully. Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write
your answers on the boxes provided.

b 1. A type of newspaper which is half size of the broadsheet and circulates as local or
community newspaper.
a. Broadsheet c. Local Newspaper
b. Tabloid d. Community Newspaper

c 2. The name of the newspaper, also called as nameplate.

a. Folio c. Masthead
b. Edition d. Headlines

a 3. This is the headline running on top of the nameplate.

a. Umbrella c. Teaser
b. Deck d. Lead

d 4. These are the spaces or boxes at both sides of the nameplate and are often devoted
to weather report, title of some inside stories or advertisements.
a. Major Story Line c. Cut
b. Side Bar Headline d. Ears

b 5. This is the caption of the cut.

a. Cut c. Byline
b. Cut Line d. Dateline

b 6. A boxed portion on the page where the Editorial Board is listed.

a. Columns c. Editorial Page
b. Editorial Box d. Editorial

a 7. This gives the date and place of origin of the news.

a. Dateline c. Sidebar
b. Byline d. Lead

d 8. This is used to present or supply additional information and comes before any
headline which is also called a kicker.
a. Folio c. Cut
b. Deck d. Teaser

a 9. The picture used tom make the news more visible to the readers which is found
not only in the front page but in all or most of the other pages.
c. Cut c. Dateline
d. Cutline d. Lead
a 10. This is also called the main headline story or banner story and considered by the
editor as the most important.
a. Major News Story c. Other News Story Headline
b. Deck d. Major Story Headline

II. Write T if the statement is true and F if false on the space provided.

1. A folio generally runs over the masthead of the newspaper.

2. A broadsheet is a big newspaper and generally for nationwide circulation.
3. The deck is a secondary headline that appears between any headline and the story
of a said headline.
4. Determining the subject of business, politics, sports, environment news and other
news belongs to overviewing a newspaper.
5. The title of a side story of a major news story is called side bar headline.
6. Parts according to paging system may be the masthead, folio, edition, ears, etc.
7. Scanning a newspaper mean previewing, overviewing and surveying it.
8. Previewing a newspaper include reading its title or name.
9. Editorial is the newspaper’s interpretation of its opinion on an issue which is
presented in a caricature.
10. The side story of one story that is carried by the paper is called side bar.

III. Enumeration

A. Parts of a Newspaper
1. Section
2. Paging System
3. Page Parts

B. Headlines consists of:

1. Umbrella
2. Major Story Headline
3. Side Bar Headline
4. Other News Story Headline
5. Teaser
6. Deck/Jump Headline
C. Reading a Newspaper Thoroughly for:
1. For News
2. For Editorials
3. For Column Articles
4. For Advertisement

D. Parts of a Newspaper in the Front Page

1.Masthead
2. Folio
3. Edition
4.Ears
5. Headlines
6. Byline
7. Dateline
8. Lead
9. Major News Story
10. Side Bar
11. Cut
12. Cut Line

E. Skimming a Newspaper through Overviewing

1. Determine the sections
2. Read the title of each section
3. Read the editor of each section
4. Read the title of the different column
5. Read the columnist of each column