“Opinion” news is a genre of journalism that presents the personal views and perspectives of the writer or journalist. This type of news is typically distinguished from “objective” news, which aims to present information and facts in a neutral and unbiased way.

Guidelines for journalists to follow when writing and consuming opinion news include:

• Clearly Label Opinion Pieces: Opinion pieces should be clearly labeled so that readers know they are reading the writer’s personal views and opinions.
• Disclose Any Conflicts of Interest: If the writer has any conflicts of interest that may affect their views or opinions, these should be disclosed in the piece.
• Respect the Views and Opinions of Others: Writers and readers should respect the views and opinions of others, even if they disagree. This means avoiding personal attacks and harassment and instead engaging in respectful and constructive debate.
• Present factual information accurately: While opinion pieces are meant to present the writer’s personal views, they should still be based on accurate and factual information.

By following these guidelines, journalists and readers can help ensure that opinion news is presented in a responsible and transparent way and that readers are able to understand and evaluate the writer’s perspective.

This genre is associated with the review criteria:

Accuracy
Impartiality
Evidence

Learn more about these practices and join the discussion in the Opinion News Genre learning channel.