Magazine and newspaper glossary

Alley: the space between columns within a page. Not to be confused with the gutter, which
is the combination of the inside margins of two facing pages.
Angle: The approach or focus of a story. This is sometimes known as the peg.
Banner: The title of a periodical, which appears on the cover of the magazine and on the
first page of the newsletter. It contains the name of the publication and serial information,
date, volume, number. Bleed: when the image is printed to the very edge of the page.
Block quote: A long quotation - four or more lines - within body text, that is set apart in
order to clearly distinguish the authors words from the words that the author is quoting.
Body or body copy: (typesetting) the main text of the work but not including headlines.
Boost: picture boost (usually front page) pic promoting a feature or story in later pages
Strap boost: as above, but with a strapline, not a picture
Byline: A journalist's name at the beginning of a story.
Callout: An explanatory label for an illustration, often drawn with a leader line pointing to a
part of the illustration.
Caption: An identification (title) for an illustration, usually a brief phrase. The caption should
also support the other content.
Centre of visual interest (CVI): The prominent item on a page usually a headline, picture
or graphic.
Column: A regular feature often on a specific topic, written by the same person who is
known as a columnist.
Copy: Main text of a story.
Cross head: a heading set in the body of the text used to break it into easily readable
sections..
Double page spread: magazine design layout that spans across two pages. Usually, the
design editor will arrange to spread the layout across the centre pages of the magazine, so
as to ensure that the design lines up properly.
Drop cap: a large initial letter at the start of the text that drops into the line or lines of text
below.
Filler: extra material used to complete a column or page, usually of little importance.
Flatplan: A page plan that shows where the articles and adverts are laid out.
Golden ratio: the rule devised to give proportions of height to width when laying out text
and illustrations to produce the most optically pleasing result. Traditionally a ratio of 1 to 1.6.
Headline: The main title of the article. Should be in present or future tense to add to
urgency. Must fit the space provided. If it doesnt, you are using the wrong words.
House style : A publication's guide to style, spelling and use of grammar, designed to help
journalists write and present in a consistent way for their target audience.

Kicker: The first sentence or first few words of a story's lead, set in a font size larger than
the body text of the story.
Masthead: Main title section and name at the front of a publication.
Negative space (or white space): the area of page without text, image or other elements
Orphan: First line of a paragraph appearing on the last line of a column of text. Normally
avoided.
Pull quote: A brief phrase (not necessarily an actual quotation) from the body text, enlarged
and set off from the text with rules, a box, and/or a screen. It is from a part of the text set
previously, and is set in the middle of a paragraph, to add emphasis and interest.
Sell line: Short sentence promoting an article, often pulling out a quote or a interesting
sentence.
Standfirst: Lines of text after the headline that gives more information about the article, or
about the author.
Strapline: Similar to a subhead or standfirst, but used more as a marketing term.
Talkie headline: a quote from one of the people in the story used as a headline
Tag line: a short memorable line of cover text that sums up the tone of the publication
(Loaded Mag has :For men who should know better)
Widow: Last line of paragraph appearing on the first line of a column of text.