Question
Discuss the similarities and differences between the profiles found in newspapers and those found in magazines.
attached profile from newspaper is The Sock Queen of Alabama.
Profile from magazine is G’day, O’Shea: Why Brioni’s New Aussie Creative Director Is an Inspired Appointment.
What do you see as the focus of each of these profiles?
How are they written?
What are the differences in style, tone, and readership between the magazine and newspaper articles?
Answer
Newspapers v Magazines
There are a number of similarities as well as differences between profiles found in newspapers and those in magazines. Magazine and newspaper profiles are characterized by photographs that help in elaborating the content and attracting readership. They both rely on advertising to generate revenue. Advertisements are placed on strategic places such as the bottom of the page. Newspapers and magazines are meant for providing both information and news.
A number of differences exist in profiles between newspapers and magazines. The first notable difference between the two is the length of the articles. Newspaper articles are long and present detailed insight into the matter being analyzed. There is clear evidence of thorough research undertaken in writing newspaper articles. On some occasions, the authors may draw reference from other sources in order to ascertain their research. For instance in the newspaper article, the author draws photographs from The New York Times. The newspaper article gives more details such as the actual number of workers employed during particular period, costs of products, economic conditions, and among others. They are clearly meant to educate or to illuminate a particular subject.
On the other hand, magazine articles are presented in a brief and easy-to-read manner. Magazine articles lack an in-depth research in presentation of details. An exception lies in articles that are produced following a lengthy investigative report covering particular issues such as health which may take months to complete. There is lack of figures, graphs or calculations that support the content. Instead, the content of magazine articles is presented in an easy way. Majority of articles in magazines do not provide references or cite work of other authors unlike in newspapers. Magazine articles cover topics of interests to particular groups of people. The profile is presented in a colorful manner and mostly aims at entertaining readers. Magazines often relate their content to current events in the showbiz industry.
In terms of writing, magazine articles are mostly written by members of staff. Newspaper articles are also regularly written by newspaper staff. However some of the content is sourced from various wire service agencies such as Associated Press and Reuters. Independent persons such as political analysts or experts in other fields may also submit articles on regular basis to newspapers which are scrutinized and published. Newspaper articles are targeted at general readership. However, newspaper articles may target specific regions depending on readership of the newspaper. On the other hand, magazine articles appeal to specific groups of people. They cover topics of interest to particular readers. Magazine articles are often read during leisure time while newspaper articles may be read during working hours.
There is also a significant difference in style and tone. In magazines, writers use simple language. Abstract language may be used at times. In newspapers, complex language is often used. Magazines may contain numerous sentence fragments compared to newspapers. Another style common in magazines is the use of rhythm which is not the case with newspapers. There is also a difference in style between the two. In magazine articles, an informal tone is often used. For instance, the writer may use a humorous tone, loose tone, subjective tone, or comical tone. In newspapers, a formal tone is used. The tone used may be objective, serious, reasoned, informative, or ornate.
