reportage

Texts

2022

We explain what a report is, what elements make it up and how it is done. In addition, its characteristics, structure and real examples.

A report has several diffusion channels.

What is a report?

The reportage is a journalistic genre with an informative purpose in which a journalist narrates with words or images an event ofinterest popular.

The reports usually tell stories that have individuals or groups as protagonists, generally they are made up of texts, sequences of images or videos and are produced with the intention of communicating through print media, television or radio.

See also:Journalistic text

Types of report

  • Scientific report. It shows and reports the scientific progress and advances of the time.
  • Investigative report. Investigate the details about a particular event that are unknown.
  • Explanatory report. Investigate and publicize events that are important at the popular level.
  • Human interest report. It tells the story or the events that happen to an individual or in a town, community or community.
  • Autobiographical report. It recounts the life of the reporter.
  • Narrative report. Tell an event as a story with a beginning, middle and end.

What are the characteristics of a report?

A report can take testimonies or expert statements.

A report differs from other journalistic genres due to some characteristics:

  • It has a theme: A report covers one or more issues, from current events of great collective interest, to trips, social troubles, culture from a particular country,art of a period,sport, shows or the economic situation of a country.
  • Arouse interest: A report has to be interesting to whoever is reading or watching it and capture their attention. Therefore, use an opening phrase, a title or images that invite the reader or audience to reflect and understand the information.
  • It is distributed by a channel: A report has several diffusion channels that can be: the written press (newspapers or magazines), the radio, theTV, ormedia audiovisual (digital magazines, radio and television throughInternet).
  • It uses qualified sources: A report is made from data, testimonials, expert statements on a topic to be discussed andPhotographs, videos ordiagrams that accompany the story.

How is a report structured?

A report (written or audiovisual script) is usually structured in four parts:

  • Headline. Main heading that informs the content of the report. As in thenews, the title of a report may be accompanied by a pretitle and a subtitle.
  • Opening paragraph or entry. Set of prayers that follow the title with the function of capturing the attention of the recipient, so they have content that is interesting and attractive.
  • Body of the report. Set of paragraphs that develop the main topic of the report, are interconnected and have coherence. It is usually organized through the use of subtitles.
  • Final paragraph. Set of sentences that close the report. You can also make comments that invite the reader to reflect and even want to find out more about the topic that was discussed.

Elements of a report

The audiovisual content supports the story.

There are certain essential elements when making a report:

  • Theme. Thematic of interest chosen and investigated by the media or journalist for the writing or realization of the report.
  • Story. Narration orderly and meaningful that is transmitted in the report, it is novel and provides testimonies or points of view.
  • Image. Visual representation that accompanies and gives support and strength to the story.
  • Fountain. Testimony of a trained individual or knowledgeable of the subject under investigation.
  • Interview. Journalistic and investigative tool through which sources are contacted and questions are asked to obtain information or an opinion on the subject of interest.
  • Video. Audiovisual content that supports the story.
  • Journalist. Individual who uses different tools to collect information and produce the report.
  • Medium. Paper, digital or audiovisual medium in which the report is published or transmitted.

How to make a report?

  • Choose a topic to develop: An area of ​​interest is chosen and then a topic on which the entire research and the subsequent report.
  • Investigate: An exhaustive investigation is carried out in order to know the information available on the matter, which may be useful in the report.
  • Organize the information: All the information found is collected, classified and the focus to be given to the report is defined according to the information available.
  • Consult sources: Contact persons who have an in-depth knowledge of the selected topic or have witnessed an event of interest. These sources are due, as far as possible, to interview and use these quotes to give foundation and veracity to the report.
  • Write a draft: The information is organized and a draft is written in which an order is established, the support sources (videos, images) that are available are analyzed and what information will be part of the final publication is defined. It is important to know in what format the final report will be published, for what purpose and aimed at what audience; this way it will be possible to determine the type of language to be used and the extension.
  • Write the final version: The material is prepared taking into account that, both in a written report and in an audiovisual one, the story must include a introduction, a development and an outcome, have the quotes obtained from qualified sources and a descriptive title that captivates the audience.

Examples of reports

  • "The mysterious rise of food allergies" in El País.
  • "Raqqa, living in the Islamic State" on Televisa.
  • "Exxon Valdez: a 25-year stain" in El Mundo.
  • "Maria Konnikova on what she´s learned from poker" in The Guardian.
  • "The day the dinosaurs died" in Semana.
  • "Report on New York artists of the eighties" on RTVE.
  • "Although for the Government their language is extinct, the last two speakers of Ku'ahl are fighting against oblivion with their own museum" in Infobae.
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