The article "Top Hells Angel arrested in Montreal" on the CBC news web site is definitely hard news. The article was updated only early this morning and tells about one of the most powerful members of the Hells Angels getting arrested after being wanted for a year and a half. This is top news and states direct facts about what happened. It goes into depth about the man's previous charges and what happened during the arrest.
Another example of hard news is the article "Possible new charges against torture suspect: lawyer" on the Globe and Mail wed site. This shocking article as updated this morning, as well, and gives a detailed description of the charges made on the man suspected of the gruesome torture of Dustin LaFortune. The article also give a description of the torture and hard facts on the case. Both of these articles show strongly the characteristics of hard news.
The article "Willow Smith Gets Bedazzled Neck Brace" on the People news web site is a strong example of soft news. This article's soft news characteristics are the interview with comedian Ellen Degeneres and actor Will Smith's 9-year-old daughter Willow Smith. The article if fun and entertaining and appeals to human interest.
Another type of soft news stories are those that advise the reader. The article "Jessica Simpson Says Focus on Her Weight Brings Up 'Insecurities'" from the People news web site shows the scrutiny of the press about her weight, and how she still finds a way to ignore their comments and be happy the way she is. It is definitely a strong example of soft news because it's purpose is to interest her fans and people with insecurities.
News can also be categorized as a "blur", where it is a mix between soft news and hard news. The article "Elizabeth Smart Recounts 'Indescribable Fear' of a Knife to Her Neck" is a story about the 23-year-old celebrity, Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted for a 9 month period at age 14. It tells how her kidnapper took her from her bedroom of her Salt Lake City home in 2002 and held a knife at her throat. This article has soft news qualities in that its appeals to human interest and is advising the reader of her story. It is also has the qualities of a hard news article because it gives the details on the story (who, what, when, where, how, and why).
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