reportage

Reportage is a form of journalism that emphasizes on-site, factual reporting of events, often with descriptive detail and narrative pacing. It seeks to convey not only what happened but also the atmosphere, context, and human experience surrounding a news event. The term comes from the French word reportage, meaning a report or coverage, and in English has come to describe long-form, sometimes immersive reporting that sits between straight news and literary nonfiction.

Reportage relies on direct observation, interviews, and document-based verification. Journalists may accompany events as they unfold, reconstruct scenes from memory and records, and weave background information into a coherent narrative. While keeping to factual accuracy, writers of reportage may employ scene setting, dialogue, and character portraits to illuminate complex issues such as war, poverty, or political change. Ethical practice emphasizes verification, fairness, and avoidance of sensationalism, even when the material is gripping.

Historically, reportage evolved with modern mass media in the 19th and 20th centuries, paralleling the rise of feature journalism and investigative reporting. It is associated with literary journalism and has been developed by reporters and writers who blend descriptive observation with reportage. In contemporary usage, reportage can refer to long-form newspaper or magazine features, documentary journalism, or magazine-style reporting that foregrounds narrative technique while prioritizing factual accuracy.