Difference Between Newspaper and Magazine

Newspapers and Magazines are two essential sources of recent issues and knowledge in today’s society. Although both newspapers and magazines are types of printed media, they hold very significant differences in every aspect.

Key Takeaways

1. Newspapers are publications containing news, articles, and commentary on current events, usually printed on inexpensive paper and published daily or weekly.
2. Magazines are periodicals that cover a specific topic or interest, featuring articles, essays, and visuals, typically published on higher-quality paper and issued weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
3. Newspapers focus on timely news and events, while magazines delve into specialized subjects, often with more in-depth content and a higher production value.

Newspaper vs Magazine

The difference between newspapers and magazines is that newspapers present recent issues and other information in a formal, brief, and objective matter. At the same time, a magazine focuses on specific subjects and includes articles, interviews, and current issues.

Newspapers follow a simple and formal layout. On the contrary, magazines are targeted at a specific readership; hence, an engrossing arrangement is an essential aspect.

---

 

Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Newspaper	Magazine
Audience	The newspaper is written for the general audience.	A magazine is written for a specific type of readership.
Content	It covers all types of news; only a small portion is reserved for comics and other entertainment.	Articles are mainly based on a specific domain the magazine adheres to, like cars, entertainment or fashion.
Language	The language used is very formal.	Formality isn’t the most important.
Pictures	Includes only a limited number of pictures (less than 20% of its content).	Nearly half of the space in a magazine is covered by exciting pictures.
Frequency of publication	Published daily. Some special sections may be published weekly.	They are published on a monthly or quarterly basis generally.

---

 

What is Newspaper?

A newspaper is a periodical, generally daily, media that delivers up-to-date news reports to the public. It presents recent issues from around the world, locally, objectively, and accurately.

The concept of the newspaper started in 17th-century Europe, and since then, it has been the most reliable source of printed media. Although electronic media has taken up at a lightning pace, newspapers remain the best source of authentic news.

A newspaper has various sections that include business news, sports news, and global and local news, spread neatly throughout the space. It also provides weather forecasts, recent notices and tenders, crossword puzzles, obituaries, and editorial cartoons.

There are also supplementary papers that print weekly and contain additional sections. Advertisements also are presented in newspapers but are very limited in number. The biggest and most important news goes to the front page.

Newspapers are printed on thin, low-quality white or grey paper with poor-quality ink so that they can be sold to the public cheaply, allowing everyone to afford them. It consists of several pages, which are relatively large, that provide space for information on different categories.

The layout and style of a newspaper are very simplistic and ordinary, and the language used is formal and objective. The content is to-the-point, and only the necessary information is included to accommodate all of the news on the pages.

Today’s most popular newspapers include The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Hindu and Times of India.

 

What is Magazine?

A Magazine is a form of periodic printed media focusing on a particular subject and targeting a specific readership. In contrast to newspapers, magazines are typically issued once a month.

A magazine comprises a wide range of subject-specific information in articles, interviews, advertisements, etc. A magazine can be specific to subjects like fashion, sports, cars, science, technology, finance, etc.

The language of the content doesn’t necessarily adhere to the rule of formal presentation and is valued for its richness and riveting nature. The literary style is such that it aims at engaging the reader.

Many advertisements in a magazine, mainly subject-specific, are presented engagingly. A Magazine is provided generally on a subscription basis, but also newsstands and stores and is comparatively costlier.

Magazines are printed on high-quality glossy paper as the focus is on quality and richness. The content is coloured, unlike in that of a newspaper, and the layout is complex and stylish as aesthetics plays an important role.

Some popular magazines include National Geographic, People, Reader’s Digest, and Vogue.

---

Main Differences Between Newspapers and Magazines

1. Newspapers present news from around the world, articles, advertisements, and correspondence, whereas magazines include interviews, engaging articles, and publicity focusing on a particular readership.
2. Newspapers are generally published daily, whereas magazines are rarely published monthly or quarterly.
3. Newspapers tend to be more objective. On the other hand, magazines can be very subjective.
4. Newspapers have a very simplistic design and layout, whereas magazines have more complex designs that can engage the reader.
5. Newspapers are very cheap, so a commoner can afford them. Magazines are generally more expensive.
6. Newspapers use low-quality paper, whereas magazines use high-quality paper, contributing to aesthetics.
7. Newspapers are generally printed in black and white, whereas magazines are coloured.

---

References

1. https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/view/rmit:4016
2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14241277.2004.9669377
3. https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/13002/1/IJMM061%262pp059-066.pdf