Annotated layout features of a Newspaper, Demonstrated on The Times

Some or all of these may be found on the front pages of newspapers.

Box-out – A small part of the page, shaded in a different colour.

By-line – The name of the reporter, if they are important is often included at the beginning of the feature, rather than at the end, or not at all.

Caption – Typed text under photographs explaining the image.

Credits – The author of a feature may be given credit in the form of a beeline. Photographs may have the name of the person who took them or the agency that supplied them alongside them.

Crosshead – This is a subheading that appears in the body of the text and is centred above the column of text. If it is se to one side then it is called a side-head.

Cover Story - Leading story used on the front cover.

Deck - Part of a headline which summarises the story.

Exclusive – This means that newspaper and no one else solely cover the story. The paper will pay their interviewees, buying the story so it cannot be used by another paper.

Feature – Not necessarily a ‘news’ item (current affairs), but usually with a human-interest angle presented as a spread.

Headline – This is the main statement, usually in the largest and boldest font, describing the main story. A banner headline spans the full width of the page.

House Ad - An upaid advertisement put on a palge to fill a gap left by a lack of paid advertising. Often a promotional ad for the publication.

Jumpline - A line indicating a continuation, or jump, on an article on a subsequent page.

Kicker – The first sentence or first few words of a story's lead, designed to stand out from the rest of the page by the use of a different font or set out in a font size larger than the body text of the story.

Lead Story - The main story on the front page, usually a splash.

Lure – A word or phrase directing the reader to look inside the paper at a particular story or feature.

Masthead – The masthead is the title block or logo identifying the newspaper at the top of the front-page. Sometimes an emblem or a motto is also placed within the masthead. The masthead is often set into a block of black or red print or boxed with a border; the ‘Red-tops’ (The Sun, The Mirror, The News of the World) are categorised by style and the use of a red background in the masthead.

Menu – The list of contents inside the paper.

Puffs - A news story with editorialised, complimentary statements.

Pugs – These are at the top left and right-hand corners of the paper and are known as the ‘ears’ of the page. The prices of the paper, the logo or a promotion are positioned there. They are well placed to catch the reader’s eye.

Secondary Lead – This is usually only a picture and headline, it gives a sneak preview of a story that you might find inside the paper.

Sidebar – When a main feature has an additional box or tinted panel along side of it.

Splash – The splash is the main story on the front of the paper. The largest headline will accompany this, along with a photograph.

Spread (Or DPS: Double Page Spread) – A story that covers more than one page.

Standfirst – This is an introductory paragraph before the start of the feature. Sometimes it may be in bold.

Strapline – This is an introductory headline below the headline. Similar to a Subheading.

Source - An individual who provides imformation for a story.

Tag – A word or phrase used to engage a reader’s interest in a story by categorising it e.g. ‘Exclusive’, ‘Sensational’