The term "column" first appeared in American journalism at the beginning of the last century. Now the columnist has become one of the most popular genres of journalism, primarily newspaper. The column can be conducted by both a full-time correspondent and a freelance correspondent, as well as a team of authors. In many publications there is a column for the editor-in-chief, that is, a person responsible for the position of the publication and its place in the information field.
In modern journalism, the word "column" has three meanings. This is the name given to a specially designed text on a newspaper page highlighted in a special column. This technique is used so that the reader immediately draws attention to a certain material. This column can contain materials that the editorial board considers the most important. In the form of such a column, statistical data, quotes, results of press surveys and much more can be drawn up.
The column is often called the author's heading. Its main task is to draw the reader's attention to a certain name. A popular author is able not only to attract the attention of the reading public, but also to hold it for a long time. Such a column is not only addressed to a specific target audience, but forms it itself.
There is a third meaning of the term "column". This is a genre that is currently in the stage of formation. The main task of this type of column is to demonstrate the personal point of view of the author. A distinctive feature of the column as a genre is that the material has a pronounced personal flavor. In this sense, the column has much in common with such generally recognized journalistic genres as commentary or review.
The editor's column usually combines the second and third meanings of the term. If the editor is a well-known journalist with a pronounced and well-known position, in his heading he reflects both his personal view of events or phenomena, and the attitude of the publication to these events. Anything can become an informational occasion, it depends on the direction of the publication. For example, an editorial column in a socio-political newspaper can be devoted to the results of negotiations between political leaders, an assessment of the situation in a country or region, trends in social and economic development, etc. The editor's column in the entertainment edition contains gossip, funny stories, everyday stories and much more. The peculiarity of the editorial column is that by its content the reader gets a general idea of the politics of a newspaper or magazine.
The content of the editor column changes over time. It depends on how much the interests of the audience change. For example, in the century before last, even very enlightened readers were interested in secular anecdotes, which were also published in serious respectable newspapers. Now this genre thrives exclusively in entertainment and advertising publications.
Genres similar to the editor's column are found in electronic media. These are the headings that the heads of television and radio companies broadcast on the air. As in the newspaper, these materials should be published with a certain frequency, reflect the personal position of the editor-in-chief and the general direction of the publication.
