News is a term used to describe information that is gathered about current events. This can be provided through a variety of different media, including word of mouth, printing, postal systems, broadcasting, electronic communication, or through the testimony of witnesses and observers.
The Newsworthiness of a Story
The newsworthiness of a story is determined by a balance of six values: impact, conflict, exclusivity, good news, surprise and audio-visuals. The values are not fixed but can fluctuate depending on a range of factors, including the availability of resources and time, journalistic biases and other socio-political influences, and the audience for whom journalists produce news (185).
Impact
Stories that impact a large number of people may be more newsworthy than those that affect a smaller group. This applies to a wide range of events, from an injury in a street to a terrorist attack.
Conflict
Stories concerning conflict such as controversies, arguments, splits, strikes, fights and insurrections are generally more interesting than non-conflict stories. This value also applies to stories that involve violence, e.g. a police investigation of the incident or the victim’s statement.
Exclusivity
Stories generated or available first to the news organisation as a result of interviews, letters, investigations, surveys, polls and so on are often considered to have high newsworthiness. However, these stories can sometimes be difficult to obtain and may not always make it to the front page of the newspaper.
Good news
Stories with particularly positive overtones such as recoveries, breakthroughs, cures, wins and celebrations can be considered to have high newsworthiness. This can be a result of goodwill towards the person or the company involved in the story, but it could also be because of a story’s impact on a particular issue or topic.
Surprise
Stories that surprise the reader or viewer with a new twist, angle, or idea are considered to have high newsworthiness. This includes stories with unusual or arresting photographs, video and audio.
Audio-visuals
Videos, photos and other types of visual media can be added to a news article for extra interest. They can also help to put information into a visual context, which is beneficial for both the reader and the writer.
Shareability
Sharing articles via social media can be a great way to spread news about an event. It can also be a way to generate additional traffic for a website.
If you’re writing a news article, you should give it to someone else to read before submitting it to a publication. This can ensure that there are no errors and that the story is accurate.
The best news articles are those that have a strong lead. This leads readers to want to continue reading and to find out more about the story. The lead should be a snappy headline that concisely informs the reader of the topic while seizing their interest.
