Soft news wikipedia

Soft news is a term used in journalism to describe news stories that are more entertaining, human-interest focused, and less serious than hard news. Here's a summary of soft news from Wikipedia:

Definition: Soft news refers to news stories that are more lighthearted, entertaining, and human-interest focused than hard news. Soft news stories often focus on personalities, lifestyles, and human experiences, rather than serious issues or hard-hitting investigations.

Characteristics: Soft news stories typically have the following characteristics:

  1. Human interest: Soft news stories often focus on people's personal stories, experiences, and emotions.
  2. Lifestyle: Soft news stories may cover topics such as fashion, entertainment, travel, and leisure activities.
  3. Entertainment: Soft news stories may include features, profiles, and interviews with celebrities, athletes, or other public figures.
  4. Less serious: Soft news stories are often less serious and less urgent than hard news stories.
  5. More opinion-based: Soft news stories may include more opinion-based commentary and analysis.

Examples: Examples of soft news include:

  1. Celebrity gossip and scandals
  2. Human-interest stories about everyday people
  3. Lifestyle features on fashion, beauty, and wellness
  4. Entertainment news and reviews
  5. Travel and leisure articles
  6. Profiles of athletes, musicians, and other public figures
  7. Features on food, wine, and other hobbies

Comparison to hard news: Soft news is often contrasted with hard news, which is more serious, investigative, and focused on issues of public importance. Hard news stories typically have a more serious tone and are designed to inform and educate readers about important issues.

Impact: Soft news has a significant impact on the way people consume news and information. Soft news stories can be more engaging and entertaining than hard news, which can attract a wider audience and increase readership. However, some critics argue that soft news can be superficial and distract from more important issues.

Overall, soft news is an important part of the news landscape, providing a more lighthearted and entertaining alternative to hard news.