The phrase "context is everything" has become a well-worn cliche among writers and journalists. On the surface, it's a simple observation about the importance of creating a backdrop for your story, but the use of the word "everything" seems to indicate that context is far more important than it gets credit for.
For example, context isn't just about the story's narrative. It's about the physical construction of the story. Every sentence in every article has its very own set of context.
This week, we read a New York Times article that discussed the power of short sentences. Brief phrases can be a powerful tool on their own, but they're even more poignant when they punctuate a lengthy thought. So, understanding things like sentence flow and paragraph weight will inevitably lead to a more poignant narrative. Context is everything.
But with the rise of rapid-fire journalism, thanks to Twitter, context often becomes a secondary concern. 140 characters will never be long enough to flush out the backstory of a particular piece of news, and there's certainly not enough flexibility to worry about sentence weight. Twitter is simply an ultra-fast delivery system. It's a one-hit wonder.
But up-to-the-minute reporting can, in and of itself, be an important part of establishing context. It might not be the best way deliver full-fledged stories, but it gives readers a glimpse into newsworthy events, which allows people to absorb the context in real time. Everything is context.
Vox media recently launched a website that's entirely dedicated to context. The site doesn't focus on real time reporting or breaking news. Its devoted to the background of front page news. And in a world where Tweets are considered journalism, we could all use a little more context.
Here here.
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