“How do style guides differ between print, broadcast and online journalism and why are they relevant for professionals in the industry?”
Style guides are a
set of standards for the writing and design of documents, either for general
use or for a specific publication, organisation or field. Otherwise known as
‘house style’, the implementation of a style guide provides uniformity in style
and formatting across multiple documents.
(Wikipedia. (2012). Style Guide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/pocc3 Last accessed 30th April
2013).
“House style is
the means by which a newspaper seeks to ensure that where there are permissible
variants in spellings, the use of acronyms and so forth, a unified approach to
these matters is adopted to help in disseminating a sense of rationality and
authority in the use of language.” (Michael
McNay. (2000). The Guardian Style
Guide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/c843eg6 Last
accessed 1st May 2013) They are particularly
prominent and relevant within journalism and every journalist organisation will
have its own specific formatting approach to distinguish itself from its
competitors. When an organisation becomes synonymous for a certain style it
generates a sense of familiarity and therefore leads to the public instantly
associating work they have read to the organisation.
According to
‘awrittenword.com’, a style guide is relevant and necessary for four main
reasons; time savings, cost savings, consistency and professionalism. Time is
saved in the sense that the style guide provides quick answers to questions
that may arise during the writing process, “It streamlines the process of
composition, thus significantly reducing the time required to create new
documents and shortening the review cycle.” (A Written Word. The Importance of a Style Guide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/cq6pyst Last accessed 27th April 2013). They are financially beneficial because “Employees with access to
their company’s style guide spend fewer hours writing, reviewing and correcting
documentation. This reduces the expense of repetitive training and prevents
costly mistakes.” (A Written Word. The Importance of a
Style Guide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/cq6pyst Last accessed 27th April 2013). Consistency is also crucial for any media organisation and their
message will be deemed a lot more reliable and trustworthy if all of their
documents are of the same style. Professionalism also adds to the credibility
of output, as the audience will perceive the organisation to be knowledgeable,
structured and serious about their work. The two are intertwined; “Consistent
style gives reporters a sense of being part of a professional team. If all
reporters have a consistent approach to punctuation, word use and grammar, the
publication will give readers, viewers and listeners confidence they can trust
your newsroom as authoritative in all aspects of communication.” (Queensland
University. Why a Style Guide? Available:
http://tinyurl.com/bo5zy6u Last accessed 25th
April 2013).
In a sense it is
about marketing, but what makes style guides more pertinent than ever is the
diversity that the digital age has brought to journalism. In the last fifteen
years the industry has evolved from its print only past to include online
journalism, which in turn has laid the global platform for broadcast journalism
to take on new importance. Style guides
for online, print and broadcasting all have similarities as well as slight
differences and it is these defining traits that will form the basis of this
essay. “The style should help to imbue all media individuality and its aims are
accuracy, immediacy, clarity and readability.” (Telegraph. (2008). Telegraph Style Book: Introduction. Available:
http://tinyurl.com/nbqv99 Last accessed 29th
April 2013)
As arguably the most consumed form of journalism in the 21st
century, broadcasting is a great place to start deciphering the ins and outs of
‘house styles’ and their relevance to the modern industry. BBC News’ official
style guide for broadcasting is evidence of the transformation that the
industry has gone through. In its foreword, former BBC radio editor, Tom Fork
claims; “The introduction of 24 hours news networks on radio and television
means that BBC journalists do many more live two-ways than they once did. The
informal conversational style used in this context is not appropriate in a
prepared script. Bulletin writing demands a more formal, structured approach
and more organisation.” (Allen, J. (2003). BBC News Style guide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 9. Last accessed 1st May 2013.) Journalism is a versatile
profession nowadays and journalists must be adaptable as well as able to cope
with the many different formats of reporting that exist. Fork continues to confirm
this; “Story-telling with pictures is not the same as story-telling with words
alone. Writers need to be aware of the opportunities and limitations of the
medium they are working for, and adjust their style accordingly.” (Allen,
J. (2003). BBC News Style guide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 9. Last
accessed 1st May 2013.)
The 90-page guide,
available on the BBC website, is the standard blueprint that BBC broadcasters
for both radio and television are expected to follow, and is an excellent
source of reference for studying the unique characteristics of broadcasting,
especially in comparison with other mediums. The guide claims that the ‘key’ to
broadcasting is “simple thoughts, simply expressed” (Allen, J. (2003). BBC
News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 13. Last accessed 27th April 2013) and that the format should be delivered
in a conversational manner. “In real life people do not say ‘former PM Margaret
Thatcher’ or ‘Microsoft boss, Bill Gates’. In conversation they would always
use the definite article, and so should we. Ask yourself how you would tell the
story to a man on a train, and use that as your guide.” (Allen, J. (2003). BBC
News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 14. Last accessed 29th April 2013). According
to the BBC, “In broadcasting the basic sentence structure,
‘Subject-Verb-Objective’ works every time.”
(Allen, J. (2003). BBC
News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 13. Last accessed 28th April 2013.)
The main message
that the guide gets across for broadcasters is the importance of clear, concise
and conversational communication, and it is a theme that runs throughout its 90-page
entirety. There are five basic points that are stressed at the beginning of the
document and they are crucial to the BBC’s reputation and output. It must be
noted though that the BBC are unique in the sense of being impartial and
license fee funded, therefore they have to apply more stringent rules in their
style guide than an independent publication for example. The first bit of
advice is “Do not describe a story as good, bad, shocking etc. Let the listener
decide.” (Allen, J. (2003). BBC
News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 13. Last accessed 27th April 2013.) Obviously as
I mentioned before, a newspaper that might have a slight political agenda or
take on a story wouldn’t have to be so careful in making sure that impartiality
shines through, although they would absolutely have a similar rule to protect
themselves from becoming liable. The next point is “Do try to get a strong
active verb in the first sentence to make an impact and keep people listening,” (Allen, J. (2003). BBC
News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 13. Last accessed 27th April 2013) and in a sense it is a rule that relates to print journalism also, being
similar to the ‘inverted pyramidal’ writing structure that writers are taught
to use. Substitute the ‘listener’ for reader and you have a basic translation
of the pyramidal structure for a different format of journalism, it has just
been adapted but is from the same train of thought. This is the key similarity that all three
formats will unanimously share actually, the importance of putting the audience
first; every style guide is truly aimed at impressing its audience and
producing user-friendly output.
“Don’t start a
news report with a question. The audience want to be informed, not take part in
a quiz,” (Allen, J.
(2003). BBC News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 13. Last accessed 27th April 2013.) is the next rule on the list and is a rule
that applies more to broadcasting than other mediums. (Allen, J.
(2003). BBC News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 14. Last accessed 27th April 2013). Sometimes in the right context, writing an article that begins with
a question can be a useful technique in garnering instant interest from the
reader. However, it doesn’t translate as well to an oratory format and can just
seem a bit cheap and unprofessional. The penultimate key point is, “Don’t begin
a story with ‘as expected’ or similar terminology. If your item was predictable
and you have nothing new to say, why should the listener or viewer pay
attention?” (Allen, J. (2003). BBC
News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 15. Last accessed 27th April 2013). This is especially crucial in broadcasting as viewers are watching
for entertainment as well as informative stories. Many stories that feature in
newspapers will not get a mention on the TV or radio due to time constraints or
scheduling, so it is important that the stories that are chosen for broadcast
are worth the audience tuning in for. The web and print are active mediums,
whereas TV and radio are passive mediums. This is another reason that
demonstrates just why style guides are so essential across different mediums
and relevant to journalists who work in a variety of these formats. The final
piece of key advice is to “be positive and direct, i.e. say ‘the plan failed’
not ‘the plan was not successful.” (Allen, J. (2003). BBC
News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 15. Last accessed 27th April 2013). This also relates to what I
mentioned in regards to the time constraints and oratory format that come with
broadcasting. By keeping broadcasts simple and concise, the audience can follow
you and understand what is happening with ease. Unlike the written word,
broadcasting doesn’t give audiences the luxury of ‘re-reading’ or checking over
a story, so it is vital that the message is delivered accurately and simply on
the first attempt. “One should not aim at being possible to understand, but
impossible to misunderstand.” (Quintilian (2003). BBC
News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 13. Last accessed 27th April 2013).
Other than these
five key policies, the style guide consists of a meticulous set of rules and
regulations that BBC broadcasters are expected to adhere to. Such is its depth
and detail, it would be far too time consuming to analyse each section
individually, but there are a few inclusions worth a mention. Being such a
national institution, the BBC stresses the importance of avoiding ‘Americanisms’
in their output and there is a thorough list of words and terms that should be
used. “Very many people dislike what they see as the Americanisation of
Britain, and they look to the BBC to defend ‘Britishness’ in its broadest
sense.” (Allen, J.
(2003). BBC News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 19. Last accessed 27th April 2013). Style guides give organisations an identity as well as structure.
The guide goes on
to emphasise the importance of syntax in the broadcasting medium, highlighting
the differences between active and passive subjects and significance of
‘Attribution first.’ “Identify the source of an assertion before making it,
always say who before you say what they did.” (Allen, J. (2003). BBC News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 22. Last accessed 27th April 2013). There are also several
guidelines that must be followed within broadcasting such as how to address
people with titles, “Getting names and
positions right is very important. It damages our credibility and erodes our
reputation for accuracy if we do not correctly identify the people or
organisations we are talking about.”
(Allen, J. (2003). BBC
News Styleguide. Available:
http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 54. Last accessed 27th April 2013). A
specific example of this, featured in the style guide, is “Do not use foreign
courtesy titles such as monsieur, senor, or signorina. Use Mr, Mrs or Miss.” (Allen, J.
(2003). BBC News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 55. Last accessed 27th April 2013). Arguably the most important
section of the guide, in the politically correct lawsuit culture we live in, is
the instructions regarding ‘sensitivity.’ The guide states, “as broadcasters
you are part of the debate about what is and what is not acceptable language….
There is a general acceptance that some words, such as crippled, spastic, mongolism, idiot, retarded and mentally defective are no longer
appropriate. It is also insensitive to refer to the deaf, the blind and the disabled, as if their physical
condition was their one defining characteristic.” (Allen, J. (2003). BBC
News Styleguide. Available: http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 61. Last accessed 27th April 2013). It may appear as
common knowledge but if it wasn’t documented in the style guide, there wouldn’t
be official grounds to discipline or dismiss an employee who used such terms
and the organisation’s reputation would be damaged. The rule is not a broadcast
specific one and will apply to all forms of modern journalism.
Although both
require producing copy, print and online journalism differ greatly from each
other, in both format and syntax. Print
is arguably the most expressive medium for a journalist whereas writing for
online is mainly about physical appearance and usability. Jakob Nielsen, of the Nielsen Norman Group,
summarises the difference in his 2008 report on writing styles for print versus
web: “Print vs. Web is linear vs. non-linear. Author-driven vs. reader-driven.
Storytelling vs. ruthless pursuit of actionable content. Anecdotal examples vs.
comprehensive data. Sentences vs. fragments.” (Nielsen,
J. (2008). Writing Style for
Print Vs. Web. Available: http://tinyurl.com/d7qlb6b Last accessed 20th April
2013).
Users who visit a
website have done so for a specific reason and in many cases are there from the
result of a search. “Web content must be
brief and get to the point quickly. Users want actionable content; they don’t
want to fritter away their time on stories that are tangential to their current
goals.” (Nielsen, J. (2008). Writing Style for Print Vs. Web. Available:
http://tinyurl.com/d7qlb6b Last accessed 20th April
2013). By having a specific style guide for
online writing, an organisation can ensure that its websites will be user
friendly and offer the ‘actionable content’ that its audience desire. Yahoo’s online style guide is evidence of the
technicalities and techniques that are required in effectively translating copy
onto the web. “Online reading is an experience that’s different from reading
text in print and a big part of that difference is physical. For most people, online reading takes longer.
A computer screen displays text at a lower resolution, with less detail and
sharpness than a printed page, so letters are fuzzier. Many people feel that
their eyes tire faster reading on a screen than on paper.” (Yahoo. (2010). Shaping your text for online reading. Available: http://tinyurl.com/blwdf3w Last accessed 23rd April
2013). The physical reasons behind it are a key factor and articles on a
website will rarely exceed 800 words, whereas newspaper stories can often surpass
1,000. Headlines for an online story have to take into account search engine
optimisation and the use of key words, whereas a print headline can say
whatever it wants to entice the reader in. The Telegraph provide a good example
of the distinctions between the two; “As a headline, ‘Brown will let Darling
swing in the wind’, is fine for the newspapers, online it would be better
rendered as ‘Gordon Brown shuns Alistair Darling after budget row’.” (The Telegraph. (2008). Telegraph Style Guide. Available:
http://tinyurl.com/d3yglho Last accessed 25th April 2013). As you can see, the
newspaper example has more of a prose about it whereas the online version is
concise and informative. This is due to the importance of keywords and
optimising your content through search engines. Organisations want web users to
be able to find exactly what they are looking for, and the style guide ensures
just that.
It is clear to
see, especially in the digital world we live in, just how relevant style guides
are across all three formats. Writing for print seems to be the most lenient
medium in the sense that a journalist can adhere to a style guide whilst still
expressing themselves. “In print, you can spice up linear narrative with anecdotes
and individual examples that support a storytelling approach to exposition.
Print’s narrative exposition calls for well-crafted, complete sentences.” (Nielsen, J. (2008). Writing Style for Print Vs. Web. Available:
http://tinyurl.com/d7qlb6b Last accessed 20th April
2013). However,
using the Guardian’s style guide as an example, there are of course limitations
and certain rules that a print journalist must follow. The 362 document consists of a detailed
alphabetical list of words, phrases etc. that Guardian journalists must use
when writing for the paper. The majority of advice surrounds common
‘confusables’ and misconceptions; “tax avoidance is legal; tax evasion is
illegal,’ ‘lay off does not mean to sack or make redundant, but to send workers
home on part pay because of a temporary lack of demand for their product.” (Marsh, D.
(2007). Guardian Style. Available:
http://tinyurl.com/59tzub Page 168 & 285. Last accessed 27th April
2013). Similar to broadcasting and online, the list also includes details
on how to avoid libeling yourself or organisation.
In summary I would
say that style guides are now more relevant than ever within journalism for a
variety of reasons. From researching the three different mediums, one thing is
clear, and that is that style guides allow organisations to optimise their
output. Broadcast journalism is the most unique in its own right purely for the
fact it is constructed for the ear, and a style guide is absolutely necessary
for the information to be received as intended.
“Some journalists assume that newspaper English is the language of all
journalism. It is not. Broadcast journalism, written for the ear, requires a
different approach. Writing has to be simpler, clearer, and more natural.” (Allen, J. (2003). BBC
News Styleguide. Available http://tinyurl.com/bv4mrvr Page 23. Last accessed 27th April 2013). Style guides are relevant in online
journalism as “web content must be brief and get to the point quickly. Instead
of a predefined narrative, websites must support the user’s personal story by
condensing and combining vast stores of information into something that
specifically meets the user’s immediate needs.” (Nielsen, J. (2008). Writing Style for Print Vs. Web. Available:
http://tinyurl.com/d7qlb6b Last accessed 20th April
2013). It
is a user-driven narrative and by having a style guide, an organisation can
ensure that their output is consistent, and is under their control. Being the
most traditional format, print style guides haven’t had to adapt as
dramatically as online and broadcast guides to the modern journalistic
landscape. Excluding terminology and
sensitivity issues, the writing style for print has remained fairly consistent
for many decades and it could be argued it is for the emergence of online and
broadcast journalism that print styling has come more under the spotlight. Overall
a style guide provides consistency, reduces the workload of the journalist,
adds professionalism, and above all ensures that output can be distributed and
optimised in exactly the way an organisation intended.
“To write a
genuine, familiar or truly English style is to write as anyone would speak in
common conversation who had a thorough command or choice of words or who could
discourse with ease, force and perspicuity, setting aside all pedantic and
oratorical flourishes.” (Hazlitt. (2009). The Economist: Style Guide. Available:
http://tinyurl.com/7youuyv Last accessed 27th April 2013).
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