News, Opinion and Analysis: Reading the Labels

Reading an article can be a challenge - especially when you can't quickly tell if it's presenting the facts, or someone's opinion. But publishers use clear signals, and there is a difference between news and opinion articles. By checking the label, byline, and section at the top, you can tell in seconds what you're about to read and how to interpret it.

Reading the Label Is a Good Place to Start

Most outlets use article type as a “label”, the first signal on the webpage that readers see. But a 2017 study by Poynter found that only 40 percent of 80 large online news organizations were using consistent labels about article types. Oberlin's media-literacy guide says that if a piece is not labeled “Opinion”, “Editorial”, “Analysis”, “Commentary”, or “Sponsored”, it is typically fact-based reporting for newspapers. Trusting News recommends using the word "opinion" in labels and notes that descriptors like "editorial" or "analysis" should also explain what that content actually is.

The Core Distinctions: News, Analysis, and Opinion

To read a piece correctly, start by understanding how it usually differs from news. AllSides groups content into "news", "analysis", and "opinion". News is essentially straight reporting: events that happened, based on facts gathered through reporting, interviews, and research. Analysis comes closest to news and often includes news, but also goes beyond that to offer perspective, interpretation, and reasonable conclusions. Opinion is more personal - the author's view and interpretation of facts, including examples of news and analysis. The core distinction is that news reports what is, while analysis and opinion use that reported reality as a starting point to say how the facts suggest something else.

Editorial, Commentary, and Reviews: Other Labeled Forms

There are other labels beyond news, analysis, and opinion - and they are usually signaled too. Oberlin's guide says that opinion content in newspapers and magazines is typically labeled "Opinion", "Editorial", "Analysis", or "Commentary", and may use a unique layout to look different from their factual reporting. But there's more than one kind of opinionated writing. "Editorials" are typically unsigned pieces expressing the institutional view, while "commentaries" are opinion pieces written by regular contributors or freelancers. Blog posts and opinionated blogs may also appear in a separate section or sidebar. For major outlets, reviews are also usually set apart: movie reviews, book reviews, and product reviews are opinion pieces that evaluate media and products, so they can appear with a prominent label in their own section.

For Readers, Labels Matter

How can you tell if a piece is objective news reporting or opinion? Publishers put in the effort to signal the difference. Major journalism organizations explicitly guide journalists to "distinguish between advocacy and news reporting", and to label analysis and commentary clearly. And it affects their standing with readers. A University of Maryland study showed that labeling opinionated content increased a news source's perceived credibility by a statistically significant margin. Readers may not always make the distinction, but the labels and visual signals are a clear value to the average user. Readers who highlight news versus opinion can consume each type in how it's meant to be understood.

In Seconds, Before Reading: The Practical Test

There's a difference between news and opinion, and it matters as you're reading. Checking a few quick signs will help you process it correctly. Check the label: if it says "Opinion", "Editorial", "Analysis", "Commentary", or "Review", it's not straight news reporting. Check the byline: if there's an individual or advocate signing the piece, it's likely one of the opinion types. Some combined sections of a publication may also use a unique layout or sidebar for opinions. But the key signal is the label, because that's the way publishers tell you that this kind of writing is off to the side, and meant to be understood differently. Check those signals first, and you can allow yourself to read the article knowing it's the right one.