What is soft news in journalism

In journalism, "soft news" refers to news stories that are more lighthearted, entertaining, and human-interest focused, rather than hard-hitting, investigative, or serious in nature. Soft news stories often prioritize entertainment value over in-depth reporting and analysis.

Soft news can take many forms, including:

  1. Human-interest stories: Stories about ordinary people and their extraordinary experiences, achievements, or struggles.
  2. Celebrity news: Stories about the personal lives, relationships, and activities of famous people.
  3. Trend pieces: Articles about popular culture, fashion, music, or other trends.
  4. Feature stories: In-depth profiles of individuals, organizations, or communities, often with a focus on their personal stories and experiences.
  5. Lifestyles and entertainment news: Stories about movies, TV shows, music, books, and other forms of entertainment.
  6. Travel and leisure stories: Articles about vacation destinations, travel tips, and leisure activities.
  7. Food and lifestyle stories: Stories about food, cooking, and lifestyle trends.

Soft news is often contrasted with "hard news," which refers to serious, in-depth reporting on important issues, such as politics, economics, crime, and social justice. Hard news stories typically require more research, investigation, and analysis, and are often written in a more formal and serious tone.

The distinction between soft and hard news is not always clear-cut, and many news organizations produce a mix of both types of content. However, soft news is often seen as more appealing to a wider audience and can be more profitable for news organizations, as it tends to attract a larger readership and viewership.

Some of the characteristics of soft news include:

Examples of soft news outlets include: