Obituary

An obituary, often called an "obit," is a written article about a person who has recently died.

Newspapers frequently publish these as news stories to document a person's life. While many obituaries focus on positive achievements, professional editors suggest a different approach. Nigel Farndale, an Obituaries Editor for The Times, argues that they should be "balanced accounts." He suggests using a "deadpan" style rather than a hagiography, which is a biography that treats someone like a saint.

This ensures the writing remains a factual record rather than just praise.

There are several distinct ways these notices are presented in media. A death notice is a type of paid advertisement found in the Births, Marriages, and Deaths (BMD) section. These usually lack biographical details and may even be a legal requirement. In contrast, a paid memorial advertisement is often written by friends or family. These are typically classified advertisements and may involve help from a funeral home. The term "obituary" also refers to the program booklet used during a funeral service. This booklet includes an "Order of Service" and a section for "Reflections" or an obituary about the deceased.

Some organizations maintain specific types of death records known as necrologies. A necrology is a register or list of deaths related to a specific group or professional field. These records might only contain very sparse details or small obituaries. However, historians find these lists to be important sources of information. Beyond simple lists, some media outlets create specialized content. The Economist, for example, publishes one full-page obituary every week. These articles reflect on how a subject influenced world history, featuring people ranging from Ray Charles to George Floyd. Other publications like The Times and The Daily Telegraph publish anthologies. These collections group obituaries by themes, such as sports, military service, or entertainers.

To meet high public interest, many news organizations prepare "advance obituaries."

These are prewritten or preedited video files kept on file for notable individuals. Having these ready allows for the prompt publication of detailed and authoritative stories. The New York Times maintains a "deep reservoir" of approximately 1,850 advance obituaries. The Washington Post keeps about 900 on file, and The Hollywood Reporter has roughly 800 for film and television figures. This practice has become even more important in the internet age. Journalists use these files to satisfy the millions of readers who seek information online immediately after a death.

Writing an advance obituary is a complex, long-term process. Journalists usually do not start these profiles until the subject reaches old age. This is because younger profiles require too many frequent revisions. However, some advance obituaries are prepared for younger people if they have known health problems. For instance, The Washington Post had an advance obituary for singer Amy Winehouse. The process can also be triggered by sudden news, such as when Boris Johnson was in intensive care in 2020. Some projects are incredibly massive and last for decades. The New York Times began working on Fidel Castro's obituary in 1959. Bill McDonald, an editor there, estimated that this single piece cost more man-hours than any other article.

Because these stories take so long to write, the authors sometimes die before the subject does. This creates a unique connection between the writer and the person being profiled. Mel Gussow wrote an obituary for Elizabeth Taylor but died in 2005, six years before she passed away. Similarly, Michael T. Kaufman wrote about Henry Kissinger but died in 2010, nearly 14 years before Kissinger's death. In 2025, the New York Times published an obituary for Tom Lehrer that was written by Richard Severo, who had left the paper in 2006 and died in 2023. These instances show how obituary writing spans generations of journalists.

Errors in this field are known as "premature obituaries."

This occurs when a person is reported dead while they are still alive. This can happen due to miscommunication between families and funeral homes. It can also happen during technical transitions, such as in 2020 when Radio France Internationale accidentally published 100 prewritten obituaries. This mistake included famous figures like Clint Eastwood and Queen Elizabeth II. In other cases, people may attempt to publish a false notice as a malicious hoax or a prank. To prevent this, most newspapers now require that all death notices come from reliable sources, such as a funeral home.