TYPES OF JOURNALISTIC REPORTS (PURPOSE AND CONTENT) - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

There are several types of journalistic reports, which can be classified according to their purpose. They are the demonstrative, the descriptive, the narrative, the anecdotal, and the autobiographical. But other types can also be differentiated according to the ordering of the content. These are: events, action, dating and investigative reporting.

The reportage is one of the most vast and complex journalistic genres that exist when it comes to narrative elaboration. It consists of the extensive development of a topic of general interest. In it, the author is dedicated to delving into all kinds of details such as antecedents, circumstances, causes and repercussions of the fact or central theme.

This journalistic genre investigates, describes, entertains, informs and documents. And that is achieved thanks to the fact that it is information that has a deep character. It is not linked to the most immediate news, since immediacy is not the important thing in the report. Certainly reports usually start from a news event. However, in this case the key is in the expansion and deep investigation of the news.

The report allows the journalist to have greater freedom of exposition and offers him the opportunity to develop his own literary style. Although that does not mean that there must be subjectivity.

Here the events are narrated as they have happened, since the objective is still to inform. For this reason, the report should always be accompanied by a thorough investigation.

Only in this way can it be guaranteed that the information is complete and totally accurate. The objective is to expose everything on the subject so that the reader can draw their own conclusions.

Types of reports

-Depending on the purpose

Demonstrative report

In this type of report, the journalist is dedicated to discovering problems and bases his work on social claims. Like all work of this journalistic genre, the writing cannot remain in the exposition of the facts but must delve into the causes of the problem to offer a more complete panorama.

In this type of report, readers need to make an effort to understand the information and pay close attention. And to attract the reader, the journalist must try to liven up the story.

Descriptive report

This type of report is based on the detailed observation of the reporter, since he must provide through his writing a clear image of all the characteristics of the topic that is going to be discussed.

This includes objects, human beings, sensations, cities, and every aspect of reality. You must be able to describe each item to locate the reader in the story. In the descriptive report, the investigation is important, but the observation capacity on the part of the reporter is elementary.

Narrative report

In this type of report, the time factor plays a leading role. For this story, the event or problem must be structured very well. Its evolution over time must be presented and for this it must be established what happened first and what happened later.

To carry out a narrative report it is not only necessary to analyze documents and make descriptions of people, objects or places, but also to collect different opinions. Although it is important that these are from authorized persons or official entities.

Retrospective-anecdotal report

This type of report is intended to reconstruct the details of a past event. The story is built through the analysis of information, which is usually collected from the study of documents or interviews with witnesses of the fact that you want to tell.

Retrospective-anecdotal reporting should keep its focus on people's everyday events. It can be based on the discovery of facts that were not known. Or you can even bet on denying other versions of the same event.

Autobiographical report

This type of report was created by the American journalist Tom Wolfe, recognized for having made important innovations in the journalistic style. The autobiographical report is nothing more than an investigative work in which there are no more protagonists than the reporter.

That is, whoever writes the story becomes the character of the report itself. This type of work is usually done when the journalist has something important to tell and does it from their perspective.

-According to the content order

Events report

The reporting of events consists of presenting a static view of the events. The journalist acts as an observer who is in charge of talking about the events but from the outside.

In this case, the events are not presented in chronological order but in order of importance and simultaneously.

Action report

Cappa, prominent photojournalist and author of large reports related to war conflicts

Unlike event reporting, in action reporting events are presented dynamically, as if it were something that is happening. The journalist must keep up with the evolution of the events, as he writes the story from within the event.

And that's how it should make the reader feel too. This type of report is associated with the narrative, since the story must follow the temporal evolution of the event.

Dating report

This is the report that is commonly known as an interview. The facts emerge from what the interviewee tells. And to put together the story, descriptions or narratives of the journalist are alternated with textual words of the person being interrogated. In this way, what has been said is supported.

There are no rules for interviews. However, it is best to avoid forcing the dialogue. A pleasant conversation should take place, with questions of interest so that the interviewee can provide all the required information.

Investigation report

Although it might seem obvious, since all reporting is based on research, in this case it is much deeper.

In the investigative report, the journalist must perform practically detective work to capture all the details, especially those that are unknown.

It is also a job that requires very reliable and even confidential sources that provide evidence of what was said in the letter. This type of report usually contains either statistical data, updated figures and documents with official information.

References

1. Patterson, C. (2003). The good report, its structure and characteristics. Latin Magazine of Social Communication. Panama university. Recovered from ull.es.
2. The press, a resource for the classroom. Analysis of the press. Journalistic genres. (without date). Training on the Net. Recovered from ite.educacion.es.