Soft news

Definition

Soft news refers to news that is more focused on entertainment, human interest stories, and lifestyle topics rather than hard facts and urgent issues. It often includes stories that are less time-sensitive and may cover cultural events, celebrity gossip, or personal narratives, appealing to emotions rather than immediate facts. Soft news serves to engage audiences in a different way by providing content that can be entertaining or inspiring, rather than just informative.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Soft news typically appeals to emotions and often prioritizes storytelling over strict adherence to journalistic standards of fact-checking.
2. It can often be found in lifestyle sections of newspapers, magazines, and online platforms, as well as on morning talk shows and entertainment news programs.
3. The rise of social media has contributed to the popularity of soft news, as platforms encourage sharing content that is relatable and entertaining.
4. Soft news can sometimes blur the lines with hard news when it involves significant events framed through a human interest angle, such as personal stories related to major crises.
5. Critics argue that an emphasis on soft news can lead to public disengagement from important issues, as audiences may gravitate toward lighter content instead of hard-hitting journalism.

Review Questions

• How does soft news differ from hard news in terms of content and audience engagement?
  • Soft news differs from hard news primarily in its focus and approach. While hard news covers serious topics with a priority on factual reporting and urgency, soft news emphasizes entertainment, human interest stories, and emotional appeal. This difference influences audience engagement; soft news often draws viewers in with relatable content or entertaining narratives, making it more accessible but sometimes at the expense of addressing critical societal issues.
• In what ways can soft news be seen as beneficial or detrimental to public awareness of significant events?
  • Soft news can be beneficial as it makes journalism more approachable and engages audiences who might not typically consume hard news. It provides a platform for discussing cultural topics and personal stories that resonate with people’s daily lives. However, it can also be detrimental because an overemphasis on entertainment can lead to a lack of awareness regarding serious global events or critical issues, causing audiences to prioritize lighter stories over essential information.
• Evaluate the impact of social media on the consumption and production of soft news compared to traditional forms of journalism.
  • Social media has dramatically transformed the landscape of soft news consumption and production. Unlike traditional journalism that follows strict editorial guidelines, social media allows for rapid sharing of soft news content which can be tailored for virality and engagement. This shift means that audiences are often exposed to softer narratives more frequently than hard-hitting reports. While this encourages a more varied media diet and allows softer stories to reach broader audiences quickly, it also risks creating echo chambers where important issues may be overlooked in favor of more sensational or entertaining content.

Related terms

Hard news: Hard news consists of factual reporting on important and often urgent issues such as politics, economics, and disasters, typically characterized by its serious tone and objective reporting.

Feature story: A feature story is a detailed narrative that goes beyond the traditional news report format to provide background information, context, and human interest elements, often found in soft news.

Infotainment: Infotainment blends information with entertainment, often used in media to present news content in a more engaging and entertaining format, which can overlap with soft news.