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🇪🇸 Spanish · C2 · Writing Excellence

Journalism style

5 min read · voz activa y estilo directo · estructuras periodísticas (pirámide)

Vocabulary

  • crónicachronicle / feature
  • editorialeditorial
  • reportajereport / feature story
  • columnacolumn
  • entradillalead / lede
  • titularheadline
  • pie de fotophoto caption
  • fuentesource
  • primiciascoop
  • exclusivaexclusive
  • enviado especialspecial correspondent
  • corresponsalcorrespondent
  • redacciónnewsroom / editorial team
  • tiradaprint run / circulation

Spanish journalism style

Spanish-language journalism has its own stylistic conventions, inherited from a long tradition of print media.

Journalistic genres

  • The crónica is an informative narrative with a personal dimension, highly valued in Latin America
  • The editorial expresses the newspaper's official position on a current topic
  • The reportaje is an in-depth investigative work, longer than a standard article
  • The columna is a signed opinion space by a regular columnist

Article structure

  • The entradilla (lead) summarizes the essential information in a few lines, following the inverted pyramid structure
  • The titular must be informative, concise, and attention-grabbing
  • The pie de foto accompanies images and provides supplementary information
  • The fuente must always be verified and cited transparently

The press world

  • A primicia is a piece of news published before anyone else, a scoop
  • The exclusiva refers to content obtained exclusively by one media outlet
  • The enviado especial is a journalist dispatched to the field to cover an event
  • The corresponsal is a journalist permanently based in a foreign country
  • The redacción refers to both the editorial team and the workplace
  • The tirada indicates the number of copies printed

Expressions

  • Según fuentes fidedignasAccording to reliable sources
  • El reportaje sacó a la luzThe report brought to light
  • Fue portada en todos los mediosThe news made the front page
  • Desmentir una informaciónTo deny a piece of information
  • Citar textualmenteTo quote verbatim
  • La crónica recoge los hechosThe chronicle captures the facts
  • Dar una exclusiva a un medioTo give an exclusive to a media outlet

Common mistakes

  • Escribir un editorial
    Redactar un editorial

    In journalism, you "redactar" (draft) an editorial, not simply "escribir" (write) it

  • La crónica del periodista es objetiva
    La crónica del periodista es rigurosa

    A crónica allows some subjectivity — use "rigurosa" (rigorous) rather than "objetiva"

  • El titular de la noticia
    El titular de la información

    In formal journalistic style, "información" is preferred over "noticia"

  • Poner un pie de foto
    Redactar un pie de foto

    You "draft" a caption, you don't simply "put" one

  • La fuente dijo que...
    La fuente indicó / señaló que...

    In journalistic register, "indicar" or "señalar" are preferred over simple "decir"

Quick quiz

Question 1 of 5

How do you say “newsroom / editorial team” in Spanish?

This is the mini version

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