What are columns in newspaper?

Columns
Columns are the most personal of all newspaper writing. They have a very personal appeal, an
authoritative influence, and very useful contribution to make in spreading news and opinions.
They’re written to inform, to influence, or to entertain readers. They’re high in reader-interest for
they stimulate public discussion of the day’s affairs.

VARIETIES OF COLUMNS
 Round-about-school and community columns
 Discussive articles
 Columns on various topics
 Food-for-thought Columns
 Feature columns
 Humor columns
 How-to-do-it columns
 Exchange Columns
 Critical Report Columns

PURPOSE OF THE COLUMN

The main purpose of the column is to inform, interpret, and to a large degree, to focalize,
entertain and to explain the news. The columnist has to explain their significance and
consequence by:

a. Giving the background of an event

b. Determining whether a certain event is an isolate case or part of the pattern
c. Pointing out how the event will affect or not affect his readers.

d. Pooling together and assessing comments of readers from the different segments of
society.

SOURCES OF MATERIALS

 Current news
 Observations
 Interviews
 Commendable projects
 People researches
 Investigations

KINDS AND TYPES OF COLUMNS

According to purpose:

Editorial column - any personal column founded on the editorial page and makes use of
humor as a vehicle in driving the column’s message and considered as the highest
expression of press freedom in the Philippines.
Readers Column Comments sent in by the readers are placed. Some newspapers call it
“Letters to the Editor” or “Dear Sir”.

Business Column - Contains materials about economy, trade commerce and industry

Sports Column - Deals exclusively about sports.

Art Column - Deals mostly on painting, architecture, flower arrangement, paper mache,
ikebana, and the like.

Women’s Column -Concerns itself about the latest fashion, beauty tips and anything about
homemaking.

Entertainment Column - all about music, theater, cinema, and the people involved in
them.

New products and inventions - a science paper usually has a column about the latest
products and inventions, and the researches being conducted by some prominent scientists

Personality - play up a famous person, his significant achievements, his activities, dreams,
and ambitions.

Reviews -review of an article, a book, a movie, a drama or a painting.

Columnist
A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers
commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications,
including blogs. They take the form of a short essay by a specific writer who offers a personal point
of view

Importance of columnist in Newspaper

A columnist informs the reader of what he may not know “Forms” or helps to form public
opinion when he comments with his logic, humor, or emotion on an issue of the day.
Features news that papers may have forgotten to report.

As an interpreter, the columnist condenses the main news into clear, logical, and effective
sentences to emphasize the meat of the story so as to form opinion. As a fiscalizer, the
columnist acts as an arbiter. He gives inside information on what people do not know, of
things they are not privy to, and of secret doings that are hidden from public view.

Some objectives must be fulfilled by columnists, as these add to the importance of columns.
Before discussing the significance of the column-writing, it is necessary to study and
examine the nature and utility as well as the temperament of the columns, which
collectively adds to the concept of column-writing. There is a personal and individualized
tinge in the column-writing. The tone of the column-writing is often friendly and of
amicable atmosphere. The columns are written by those journalists, who have vast
experience information, knowledge and keen observation in attractive and alluring style of
Writing.
Direct address to the readers

A column is in fact an address made by the columnist direct to the readers. The columnist
creates a friendly atmosphere, which is most conducive for exchange of views for
discussion and especially for the transmission of news, views, and opinions. In this
particular atmosphere, routine mode is applied to analyze and discuss the problems of
everyday life. Sometimes, a columnist often gives answers to the queries of the readers,
besides some selected portions of the readers are presented. Sometimes, a columnist selects
some news for further detailed discussion, information and guidance for the readers. All
functions of personalized journalism are accomplished through these Columns.
A columnist may attain good readership and find a sound place among the readers, by
exhibiting a note of authority. A columnist characterized with authority commands a great
respect among the circles, for the soundness of his views and opinions. His columns are
kept in great esteem and his sayings are given full weight. This very quality makes him
cautious about his judgments and sayings. In other words, he has to be on guard against
rash judgments, immature thoughts, half-truths and obvious propaganda.

Cater to newspapers needs

Columns cater to the needs of the newspapers, periodicals with equal significance and are
supplementing the material of news and analysis

Diversity of thought

There is always a diversity of thought in the columns, by which readers amply utilize in
their practical life. Almost all topics are included in the columns, as medical, legal,
psychological, scientific, technological, social, cultural, economic and political issues. The
list does not exhaust here, as there can be columns on the interests of the children, women,
auto care, recipes, music, archaeology, sports, films, reviews, palmistry, astrology, radio
and television. We find different styles of narratives, description, logically arranged prose
compositions, linguistic and literacy pieces of excellence. There is always a
balance and moderation in the columns, and a fair amount of independence and freedom of
expression of personal opinions and thoughts, which are usually absent in other forms and
departments of journalism.

Auxiliary to Editorial

Though columns comprise of diverse subjects and topics but also, include those subjects
and topics, which incidentally or otherwise have been excluded or missed in the editorial
page. In this way, columns are actually the supplements to the editorials and prove the best
auxiliaries to the editorial articles.
Examples of columnists

Javed Chaudhry, presently writing in The Daily Express is above the rest. He creates
interest by picking up small anecdotes and connecting them beautifully to the topic he
wants to discuss. The flow, the material and the language is authentic and too engrossing
with good influence.

In terms of years and not in terms of intellect is Yasir Peerzada of Daily Jang on sunday.
He also writes with unique distinction. His issues are small but presented in one of the most
unique fashion.

Khalil Ahmed Nainithal, who writes his travelogues in too less words but take his reader
to the place of his seeing to learn the special offering the writer wants the reader to see

Ajmal Khattak Kashar with his political views and reference to historic political event.

Saleem Safi is also a distinct voice. His focus on national politics of Pakistan makes quite
an interesting read for he views them from a different perspective.
 University of Gujrat, Rawalpindi Campuus

Study program: BS

Semester: Fall 2019 (5th)

Course Code/Title: MCM 309

Resource Person: Gull-e-Muqaddas

Assignment # 01 Total Marks: 5

SUBMITTED BY Mehwish Mehboob 17271516-008