The function of a report is to inform about an event that is relevant to the public. But it not only informs, but also analyzes in depth the situation described. A good report should help the public to create their own opinion.
In this way, the report requires a much longer elaboration process than the simple news, also occupying a greater space in the medium that publishes it.
This journalistic genre is not only limited to the written press, but is also prevalent on television and radio.
The five main functions of a report
Reporting as an informative genre must fulfill several different functions, but they are all intertwined and none must ever overshadow the main one, which is to inform the recipient.
one-
It is the main function of the report, although to fulfill it there are different characteristics than the other informative genre par excellence, the news.
Thus, while the latter only recounts the facts in the most objective way possible, in the report a certain load of subjectivity is allowed.
In any case, the person who reads or watches a report must know all the details of the reported event, following the typical questions of journalism: what? Who? When? Where? How? and, very important in this genre, why?
two-
The author of a report must not only describe reality, telling what has happened and its causes. You must also make an interpretation on it.
This is why it is said that a certain amount of subjectivity is allowed in this type of work.
For example, in the case of war journalism, not only are the raw facts exposed, but an interpretation will also be given about them.
This does not mean that it is an opinion piece. According to journalism theorists, there is a subtle difference between interpretation based on facts, which is allowed in the report, and pure opinion.
3-
Educating the public is also another of the functions of this genre. On the one hand, when talking about journalistic reports, the author must create a text that helps the receiver to understand the entire fact related. It must expose the antecedents and contextualize the whole set.
There are other types of reports that are more easily adapted to this function, such as scientific or biographical.
4-
This is a function that links directly to the previous one. The moment the reader or the viewer understands and knows all the facts, their antecedents and their causes, it is almost inevitable that an opinion is formed about what has happened.
However, in many cases this function of creating opinion can be dangerous if the author does it consciously.
The line is very thin between the report that helps to know and have a position, and the pure propaganda.
It can be said that what makes the difference is the honesty and professionalism of the reporter.
5-
Entertaining the audience is another of the functions of the report. The public must find what they are being told interesting and even have a good time while receiving the information.
In any case, this function should not overshadow the previous ones, since there is a risk that the report will become a pure spectacle and lose its primary meaning.
References
- Munir, Shaftak. Purposes of Journalism. Recovered from jdhr.org
- Unilearning. Report Writting, Purpose. (2000). Retrieved from unilearning.uow.edu.au
- Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel. The Elements of Journalism. Recovered from americanpressinstitute.org
- Gallagher, Ryan. What is the role of investigative journalism? (August 19, 2011). Recovered from frontlineclub.com
- Patterson, Carlos. The good report, its structure and characteristics. (2003) Recovered from ull.es