Word Counter for Journalists
Journalism has strict word limits. Whether you're writing for print, digital or broadcast, hitting your exact word count is professional. Use this free tool to check your story length instantly.
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Open Word Counter →Quick Answer
A standard news article is 300 to 800 words. Feature articles run 800 to 2,000 words. Long-form investigative pieces are 2,000 to 10,000 words. Print newspapers average 600 to 750 words per column inch.
Word Count Reference for Journalists
| Journalism Format | Typical Word Count |
|---|---|
| News brief | 100-200 words |
| Standard news article | 300-600 words |
| Feature article | 800-2,000 words |
| Long-form feature | 2,000-5,000 words |
| Investigative piece | 3,000-10,000 words |
| Radio script (1 min) | 150-160 words |
| TV broadcast (1 min) | 120-140 words |
| Op-ed / column | 600-800 words |
Tips for Journalists
- →Paste your article in the counter and check against your editor's word limit before submitting
- →Broadcast scripts use a different rule: 150 words per minute for radio, 130 words per minute for TV
- →Online articles need a minimum of 300 words to be indexed properly by Google
- →Inverted pyramid structure means your most important facts appear in the first 150 words
- →Use the character counter to check headline lengths for SEO and print layout requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a news article be?
A standard news article for online is 300 to 600 words. Print newspaper articles run 400 to 750 words. Digital-first publications often run 500 to 800 words to balance readability and SEO.
How many words per minute for a radio script?
The standard broadcast rate is 150 to 160 words per minute for radio. For a 60 second slot write 150 to 160 words. Television scripts run slightly slower at 120 to 140 words per minute.
What is the ideal length for an opinion piece?
Op-eds and opinion columns are typically 600 to 800 words for newspapers. Online opinion pieces can run up to 1,200 words. The New York Times accepts op-eds of 800 to 1,000 words.
How long should a magazine feature article be?
Consumer magazine features run 1,500 to 3,500 words. Trade publications often want 1,000 to 2,000 words. Long-form magazines like The Atlantic or New Yorker publish pieces of 5,000 to 20,000 words.
Do headers and captions count in a journalism word count?
It depends on the publication's style guide. Most count only body copy. Headlines, subheads, captions and pull quotes are usually excluded. Always confirm with your editor.