Types of journalism

Journalism has evolved over time and even more so in recent years with the advancements in technology. Today, the news is delivered across a range of platforms and journalists in newsrooms across the world are expected to be multiskilled and multimedia. If you work for a newspaper, you would also be expected to work on its website, its corresponding social media accounts as well as taking pictures, recording videos and even working on podcasts.

In addition, there are many sub-categories of journalism in which to specialise, such a political journalism or sports journalism.

In this post, we will look at the different genres of journalism that exist today. And if you’re interested in specialising in a particular field, you should consider studying the Master in Communication and Sports Journalism at Universidad Europea.

What is journalism?

The question about the different types of journalism is common among people who want to dedicate themselves to this profession, and it is normal because a journalism career should cover all fields of our lives. From pure information to technological, medical or educational information, going through different media such as the newspaper, television or radio.

It is very likely that you are already familiar with the most common means of communication through which news is spread. With technological development and the appearance of new platforms, different kinds of journalism have been appearing. It happened once with the radio, then with television and today it is happening with the internet. From the platforms and mediums that allow information and news to be published, different kinds of journalism have been developed and continue to do so, such as:

• Written journalism: it is the oldest and the best known by all. It was considered that journalism was born with the printing press, since it was possible to mass produce serials, pamphlets and other written vehicles of communication. Today, we talk about newspapers and magazines that deliver information through the written and printed word.
• Radio journalism: spread through the radio and is what appeared after newspapers, magazines, and other print media. For many decades it was one of the most popular and continues to be consumed in great volume, above all due to its lower cost and the ease of adapting to current journalistic news.
• Audio-visual journalism: this is something we consume every day, especially in the form of news on television, although there are also television talk shows, news magazines or debates. This type of journalism encompasses many characteristics and skills, which you can learn with the degree in media studies.
• Photojournalism: photography has also made possible a new way of doing journalism. Photojournalism is very characteristic when we talk about protest matters or war scenarios, since it is where photography can transmit much more than words. On the other hand, the figure of the paparazzi also belongs to this branch of journalism, although always linked to the red tops, gossip or sensational press.
• Multimedia journalism: The growth of the population, the development of new types of media and the need to communicate through technology have increased in recent years. Multimedia journalism involves the use of text, images, sound, video clips, graphics to tell stories in an engaging way. Professionals working in multimedia journalism use digital tools and social media platforms to share their stories with an online audience.

Genres of journalism

In addition to categorising journalism into the types already mentioned in this post, we should also highlight the different types of journalists that exist:

• Sports journalism: Sports journalism focuses on news, reports, and analysis of sporting events.
• Cultural and leisure journalism:  They report on the business of entertainment and culture, including movies, television, books, and events. They cover movie premieres and award ceremonies, as well as entertainment and leisure industry news.
• Investigative journalism: Investigative journalism involves thoroughly investigating an issue to expose evidence and deliver findings from figures or organisations. This type of journalism takes more time to plan, prepare, and investigate, and is usually a longer way to fully report the details of the investigation, findings, and conclusions.
• Financial or business journalism: Specialised journalists detail the movements and developments in business that impact the people involved in that sector. Includes industry-specific news for commodities such as oil, metals, and agriculture, as well as business sectors, such as education, travel, finance, and health.
• Political journalism: Political journalism focuses on government, politics, and political candidates. It covers different segments of political activity, such as local, national or international news.