Q.1. Define
news by providing definition. Explain the process for selecting of news for a
newspaper.
There is no consensus on how to define "news" amongst specialists. To put it simply, news is anything
that is unusual. News is the unique image of life. The more it stimulates people, the more valuable it is as news. News encompasses all current actions which are of universal human interest and the finest news is that which fascinates most of the reader. As long as it does not break standards of decency or the law against libel, anything that a large enough audience is interested in reading may be considered news. Fresh news is like a cake just out of the oven. If something is new, out of the ordinary, and of interest to a wide audience, then it might be considered news.Objectivity
The definition of news is an
objective account of an occurrence. The reporter's observations should be
accurately reported. To be objective is to provide an account of events that is
true to their actual course. Adding anything from the reporter's imagination
compromises his or her ability to be objective. A news reporter's job does not
include offering commentary, suggestions, or proposals. When writing a column,
editorial, etc., they are acceptable. Journalistic pieces written in these
styles allow the author to go into more detail and offer context.
Objectivity, in its most basic sense,
is reporting just the most salient details and leaving the analysis and
investigation of the rest to other reporters. If a journalist intends to skew,
shade, or angle the news, the result will not be unbiased reporting.
"Brevity and simplicity are the
spirit of journalism," reads a classic quote on reporting and producing
news stories. The vocabulary of journalists, known as journalistic language, is
distinct from that of other fields, and especially literature. Journo-speak is
characterised by its ease of use, clarity, brevity, and simplicity. Given that
not everyone in the masses is well-educated, its primary goal is to simplify
the information as much as possible before delivering it. There is a preferred
method of expression for attaining economy of words. Which one is the
"Inverted pyramid" approach of reporting the news? The second lesson
of this course explains the conventions of this kind of news writing.
There are a number of criteria that
must be met before an occurrence may be considered newsworthy. The timeliness
of a news item is crucial to its impact. Even if the information included in an
out-of-date piece is crucial, no one wants to read it. The news has a limited
shelf life, much like a perishable food item. The credibility of a news report
is significantly affected by its source. In journalism, proximity is not only a
matter of proximity in space; it also refers to proximity in terms of shared
interests. The wedding of Pakistani politician Imran Khan took place in the
United Kingdom, but the locals find the tale all the more compelling.
If 200 people die in an earthquake in
China, the news will be covered less prominently than if 30 people die in an
earthquake in Pakistan. The names of people to whom the reader could be related
are of particular relevance. When a famous person is involved, the story
becomes more interesting to the public. More people will be interested in
reading about the lives of famous people like actors, athletes, politicians,
philosophers, poets, etc.
There will be more interest among
readers in the event if it involves a large number of deaths, extensive
property damage, or a natural catastrophe. A narrative about a fire that kills
one person will be less shocking than one about a fire that kills a hundred.
Conflict between governments, communities, and other entities is fascinating to
everyone. War is the ultimate expression of conflict, therefore it is
impossible to write a dull war narrative. When a dog attacks a regular person,
it is not uncommon, but when a man bites a dog, it makes headlines. The more
rare the occurrence, the more valuable it is. Timeliness, significance, effect,
influence, notoriety, unusualness, conflict, and controversy were often
identified as reasons for news selection, as were a number of other variables.
Impact
The impact of a tale on the reader is
a common topic of inquiry. What repercussions will be incurred if they don’t
take action on your issue? Tell them how your product or service will make
their lives better. The term "news" is intended to convey the idea
that the material being presented is novel. More individuals will be interested
in your information if it is current. Today, more than ever, this is the case
because of the speed and accessibility of the internet. This barrier is
beginning to crumble with the advent of the internet, yet local news still
piques our interest more than global headlines. This is a really wide category,
but it also happens to be one of my personal favourites. These are tales that
reveal universal truths about human nature. Things like "rags-to-riches"
tales, personal essays, and other such works evoke powerful responses from us,
such as happiness, laughter, a sense of purpose, and a desire to lend a hand to
those in need.
Get ready to fight, fight, fight!
Humans are inherently drawn to tense situations. Consider the amount of
"news" that is generated by each election: A vs B is a
straightforward fight to cover, and we are constantly curious as to who will
prevail. In a nutshell: Octagonal Mother. Although anything shocking may be
dismissed as click bait, you can be sure that we will keep clicking on it
anyhow. When something bad occurs to a famous person, or even a relatively
unknown one, we tend to take notice because we see these individuals as unique
and, to some degree, as part of our own social circle.
Q.2 Explain
the basic principles of news reporting.
Information concerning autism therapy
supplied from the media impacts and \sInfluences both mother and father and
experts equally. The ethical journalism network claims that there are norms of
conduct and declarations to remind reporters of the importance of their
profession in informing the public. Here you can find the most comprehensive
international ethical code resource organised by region. Five ordinary topics
have been singled out by the ethical journalism community. Here, we would want
to highlight those five fundamental ideas and discuss how they relate to how
autism treatment is portrayed in the media.
The autism community at large faces
several dangers and problems that threaten those middle concepts. Finally, in
the interest of increasing precision and openness, we provide a few
preventative strategies and worries. The primary premise of journalism is
accuracy, even though journalists cannot always guarantee the truth. We should
constantly aim for accuracy, offer all the essential information we know, and
verify that they have been verified. The inability to verify anything should be
disclosed. False claims abound about autism therapies, their usefulness, and
their relative efficacy. Advocates of a therapy may stretch the truth about how
effective it is. Even if the autistic person is undergoing many therapies, many
customers may incorrectly attribute benefits to a single intervention.
No journalist should ever publicly or
informally speak or write on behalf of any group's interests, whether they be
political, business, or cultural. Anyone with a potential conflict of interest,
such as via political or financial ties, should make it known to the editors or
the audience. The autism therapy industry is worth billions of dollars, thus
ulterior financial motives are possible. Sponsoring events and other public
relations announcements is one way for businesses and organisations in the
autism sector to promote their goods and services. Providers and patients alike
may have a vested interest in generating positive attention that might aid
their campaigns to get financial support or insurance reimbursement. If there
is no evidence to back a claim that a certain service is beneficial, it is best
to avoid language suggesting that it may be and to reevaluate whether or not
the article is really worth publishing.
All tales have two sides. While it is
not necessary to include opposing viewpoints in every article, it is important
to provide a fair account of events and provide background information. Even
though objectivity is not always possible or even desirable (in the face of,
say, cruelty or inhumanity), reliable news coverage is built on a foundation of
objectivity. Constantly, new pseudocures for autism appear. Presenting
information on fad therapies that says they are helpful or may cure autism is a
serious danger and can serve as a significant source of distraction for parents
and professionals alike.
Over 500 different therapies for
autism are presently being sold, the great majority of which have no basis in
science. To write an article once a week for over a decade on one
"view" on how to treat autism would be a monumental undertaking.
Humanity
In their reporting, journalists must
use extreme caution. It is important to keep in mind that the things we put out
into the world, no matter how harmful they may be, may have a real effect on
others. Misleading information regarding fad cures may cause families to waste
valuable resources (years of time, thousands of dollars) on treatments that
will not improve their loved ones' results. Stories in the media have the
ability to undermine ongoing initiatives by confusing customers, making them
question their present strategy, and drawing focus away from treatments that are
proving to be helpful. Their development may be slowed or even stopped as a
result of this. Providing false information regarding the origins of autism may
also lead to individuals endangering themselves, their families, and their
communities (such as by not vaccinating their children).
"The ability to hold ourselves
accountable is a hallmark of professionalism and responsible journalism. There
needs to be genuine remorse rather than cynicism shown when mistakes are made.
The issues of our readers are taken seriously. While we can not control what
our readers think or write, we can guarantee that if they feel we have been
unjust to them, they will always have a
Recognizing and calling attention to
one's own blunders is a challenging task. To the contrary, failing to do so
enables a situation in which more damage is done by sustaining the spread of
misinformation. Fearing the loss of credibility if they admitted their
blunders, a journalist may choose to ignore them. However, if mistakes are not
reported, people can not make judgments based on complete data.
Q.3 Elaborate
different components of a news story. Write down a news story by keeping all
components in mind.
To every marketer with content
creation responsibilities, the question of how to pique the interest of readers
is a constant source of anxiety. In the end, all of your time spent writing,
revising, and checking your work might be for nothing. Posted on an inactive
website or printed on promotional material destined for the garbage can.
What the heck just happened? Take
note of how prominently Twitter feeds are included in live TV and radio
coverage of events. In times of crisis, like the Super Bowl or a natural
disaster, the information shared by people via their Social Media feeds is
highly valued. Does the content seem personal or close to home for the target
audience?
Is what you have to say or report on
something that is currently trending? Is it about something or someone that
many people see as very crucial? There is a good reason why clips showing
animals being wacky are so often watched online. Strange, weird, and
out-of-the-way things pique our interest. Our very own Chilly, the
SQL-programming dog, is a prime illustration of Progress's dedication to
excellence in this area.
Does your tale include any kind of
conflict? Does what you are saying aid a client in solving an actual problem
that has serious consequences for their life or business? A compelling argument
must be made for the reader to keep going. Can you end on a cliffhanger, or a note
that makes the reader want more? People are more likely to connect with your
message if it contains personal details and genuine feelings. The challenge is
in doing so in a way that seems natural and genuine. Adding some humanity to
your communications does not need a tear-jerker of a narrative or even anything
specifically meant to make people laugh.
The Basic Components of a News Story
The headline of a news article is the
one or two line summary of the article's content that appears above the fold. By
summarising the data presented in the articles they accompany, newspaper
headlines serve as both an index and a quick read.
The lead is the opening sentence (or
first few phrases) of a news article. A story's lead serves as its prologue. A
hard news story's lead is typically referred to as the "summary
lead."
The story's most crucial information
(at least some of the Five Ws) should be included in the lead. Most believe
that the optimum lead is brief - no more than 25 or 30 words. The best leads
are "tight," or written efficiently. A news piece with a compelling
lead is more likely to be read.
Outside of the very shortest news
items, a second quotation should be included shortly following the lead. The
supporting quotation should be explained and made interesting to read.
All news pieces need credit . A news
story's attribution explains where the story's facts came from. Attribution
helps the reader to assess for herself if the facts laid forth in the tale have
validity. The finest tales feature dozens of quotations - and all quotes have
credit. Any news report that does not include proper citation is useless.
All news articles containing
potentially divisive assertions should be followed with a reply, either from an
expert on the subject or from someone who disagrees with the story's central
premise. A representative of the government should have the chance to answer.
The story's main point is highlighted with a nut graph for quick reference. The
lead will function similarly to the nut plot. A nut graph is crucial to clearly
out for the reader what is going on.
Most tales require some context for
the reader to grasp what's going on.. The more detailed the tale, the more
acute the need for context. Background helps explain the action. Sometimes
authors finish a narrative with a reference to future action that is
anticipated. Active voice is preferred while writing news articles, according
to the vast majority of journalists and journalism courses. When describing an
activity, the active voice is used. The person on the receiving end of an
action is described in passive voice. Using the active voice guarantees a
direct and confident account of the action. An exciting situation might be
ruined by the passive voice.
Q.4 Differentiate
between investigation and interpretive reporting.
Investigative Reporting
Investigative journalism's goal (or
motivation) is to present situations as they really are, which is not
necessarily the same as how people describe them. Journalists that specialise
in "investigative reporting" go out to uncover the truth behind the
story, providing answers to questions that may not have been asked before, or
at least not answered in full. For such in-depth reporting, it is essential to
consider the subject from every conceivable perspective, both from one's own
and from that of others. Finding the greatest perspective on a topic requires
extensive research and a lot of walking around. Also, it may occasionally find
its way inside. A good reporter will take an already interesting scenario and
make it much more interesting for the reader. Reporting from an investigative
perspective is known for its depth and sharpness. It calls for an investigative
frame of mind, which includes a hunger for knowledge and a keen sense of smell
when it comes to breaking news, as well as a lot of sweat equity and the
storytelling chops to convey the story's significance to the audience.
Conducting the kind of extensive research and background work required for the
average investigative story is expensive, laborious, and time consuming.
Gathering papers, conducting interviews, and digesting materials that have
already been published might take several days at the very least. In light of
this, research should be limited to topics that are sufficiently interesting to
justify the cost. Most investigative stories include rigorous and sometimes
tedious review of public information, papers, and other sources, even while the
methods utilised for the investigation piece may also evoke fantasies of
test-and-dagger operations and dramatic confrontation. There is a long history
of investigative reporting in (American) journalism that dates back to the
muckrakers at the turn of the century. But the Watergate scandal of the early
1970s was when it really came into its own. Since then, the probe has become an
integral part of the journalistic culture at several print and broadcast media
outlets. Much of it is devoted to one task: identifying and eliminating corrupt
officials. While it is not always the usual for people to be aware of
wrongdoing, many journalists say that investigative reporting techniques should
be used to other areas of society that need investigating, clarifying, and
publicising but are otherwise off-limits to the public.
Investigative journalists have increasingly
focused on the inner workings of private companies, persons, and groups in
recent years. Digging, the careful examination of papers and files, are the
foundations of investigative journalism.
Reporters' familiarity with official
documents is essential for this task. In addition, they depend on these
individuals for advice and confidential details. Journalists that specialise in
investigations try to unearth information that individuals would like keep
secret. Both unlawful and legitimately harmful cover-ups exist. When we say
that policies and procedures are abusive, we imply that they violate the rights
of individuals in some manner.
All reporters are responsible for
doing their own digging on their beats, whether or not they have been
specifically tasked with investigative reporting. Reporters who are satisfied
to take handouts and press releases and who rely on the statements of
authorities without verifying them fail to educate readers and listeners of the
entire nature of their beat. This journalist would never make it as an
investigator.
Investigative journalism has been
seen as mainly focused with uncovering wrongdoing in high places since the
Watergate affair. In my opinion, there are two main reasons why this
association is problematic. First, it inspired certain journalists with tunnel
vision to see themselves as protectors of the public interest and to
relentlessly follow any and all public officials, sometimes resorting to
dubious means in the pursuit of scandal. Second, the focus on uncovering
political corruption has taken away from the notion that investigative
journalism may also cover other areas and serve the public good.
Definitions and Purpose of
Interpretative Writing
When I first started out in
journalism, there were only two categories of stories: hard news (or spot news)
and features. Print media still relies heavily on spot news, which goes by many
names, including straight news, hard news, breaking news, etc. In today's more
demanding newsroom, however, the terms spot news and feature are insufficiently
descriptive to categorise the wide variety of news forms (or formats) in use.
The feature article might be a
detailed profile of someone notable like the president, a famous actor, or an
innovative local tinkerer. A study on what college students eat might provide
some explanations. One way in which this news item stands out from others is
that it lacks the sense of urgency associated with breaking news. Since the
events shown are not often happening now or in the near future, the passage of
time does not serve as a compelling plot point. Interpretation is common in
feature articles since that is what they are.
As a result, depth reports, a term
popularised when Neale Copple of the University of Nebraska released a book of
the same name in 1964, include a wide range of formats within interpretive
writing. Copple contrasted superficiality caused by time constraints with
depth. Copple thinks we can forget about distinctions like interpretation,
feature writing, backgrounding, and investigative reporting since they are all
part of "depth reporting."
The term "depth" refers to
reporting that is both informative and detailed. You need to have an
inquisitive mind, put in a lot of effort, and be able to convey the tale in
terms of the reader's interpretation. Although the in-depth report may be as
lengthy as an article in a magazine, it would not be considered opinionated
like most magazine pieces.
One presentation or a series may be
necessary. There is a lot of reading, interviewing, and document-gathering
involved. You should set out at least a week or more for this. A developed news
story, or what editors used to call an enterprise story, is a prime example of
a depth narrative.
The Advent of Interpretation
The cult of objectivity: Objectivity
in journalism is the technique of correctly reporting facts and views without
attempting to determine whether or not they are right. The traditional approach
of fair reporting involves interviewing and quoting people on opposing sides of
an issue. The journalist is not responsible for verifying the authenticity of
the quotes. The mere presentation of the contrasting viewpoints is adequate.
Deadlines prevent the reporter from investigating whether or not lawmaker A's
assertion that the National Assembly is being operated like a private club of
the governing party is true. Instead, the journalist consults politician B (and
maybe C and D) to validate or refute the first politician's claims. Although
the truth or falsehood of the claim is never confirmed, the more outlets that
respond to the news, the more credibility it is given.
In the early days of journalism, it
was common for reporters (and writers) to express their own perspectives on the
events they were documenting. This kind of journalism, however, began to
decline in the latter part of the nineteenth century and was all but extinct by
the turn of the twentieth. There are several factors at play in the rise of
objective reporting as the new norm, but perhaps the most important was the
press's preference for avoiding conflict of interest.
According to Bernard Roshco, a
sociologist, in his article "News production," sources are now
responsible for producing news material, relieving the reporter of the need to
become an expert on the topic. Reporters would not need specialised knowledge
if they were required to do nothing more than document what they saw and heard
accurately.
By attributing "facts" to
sources, reporters might protect themselves from accusations of bias and false
reporting by shifting the burden of proof to those sources. Objectivity has
become a cornerstone of the journalistic enterprise, but its establishment was
by no means smooth or fast. There were several factors that contributed to the
demise of the rigid form of objectivity or "immediately" reporting
that had been the norm up until the 1930s. It came to one's notice that the
information it produced was no longer reliable or fair. The fast technical,
political, and social change that marked the 20th century was another factor.
However, the rise of television also had a role, since it quickly replaced the
newspaper as the primary source of breaking news. Due to the complexity of the
situation, rigid objectivity was inadequate.
Interpretative Reporting
indicates an attempt to decipher the significance
of a given event via written means. Doing so would not be considered editorial
commentary. Editorialists provide their opinions on whether they think
something is beneficial or harmful for the audience. In other words, they form
opinions. The news reporter who provides context for the occurrence. When we
say that an event must be placed in context, we mean that the interpretive
writer must locate the news item within the chain of events that led up to it.
The events that make it into the news are usually selected from a bigger cycle
or stream of connected occurrences. This cycle or stream is restored by the
interpretive narrative. Articles or columns dubbed news analyses are common
forms of interpretive reporting, and both of these formats explain the
background and impact of recent events.
A interpretive writer looks for clues
in the background of a news article to provide a response to the question,
"So, what does all this mean?" By highlighting how the events of the
day stack up against one another, he hopes to keep readers' attention on the
news. He does not only write about current events. Beyond this, he then asks,
"What does it mean?" and provides an explanation. In his experience,
he has found that no event occurs in a vacuum. He wants to know more than just
what is happening right now. When events are reported without any elaboration,
even if the source is trustworthy and the noteworthy, it may mislead readers
since they are not getting the "full" or "important" truth.
The shortcomings of the deadpan report are compensated by the interpretive
report.
Contextual reporting that goes beyond
the five W's and H is what readers want now, not dull objective reporting that
sticks to those conventions. Therefore, the modern reporter must train himself
to meet the growing need and demand for "subsurface" or
"depth" reporting, to take the reader behind the scenes of the day's
events and activities, to relate the news to the reader's own framework and
experience, to create meaning from chaos, to print out the significance of
current events, and so on.
Interpretive writing, in conclusion,
is a word that denotes an expansive point of view beyond the narrow confines of
a standard news report. The interpretative tale provides context and
credibility to the news. When done well, it demonstrates to the reader (with
the help of evidence) rather than tells them (with the use of words) what they
should believe.
Reporting with Depth and Human
Interest: As was previously noted, investigative reporting is necessary for
in-depth analysis. Human interest is a tried-and-true method of drawing readers
into tales with depth. The anecdotal lead, the extensive description of a scene
or event or personality, the narrative, etc. are all frequent tactics used to
catch the reader's attention. Case histories, puzzles, and hints thrown to the
primary subject are other methods. Storytellers and fiction writers are to
thank for the use of all these techniques.
Subheads, indented or odd-measure
body type, boldface read-ins, and italicised paragraphs are all typographical
elements that may be used to attract (or stimulate) the reader's attention. The
serialisation of stories is a frequent method of keeping readers interested
throughout the course of a long tale.
Stories of human interest need
additional disclaimers due to the following issues: As a debut issue, we have
hoaxes. Many reporters have fallen for fake "cute" tales that seem
exciting or funny. Libel is another risk associated with humour since it is
illegal to subject another person to public scorn or contempt. However,
distinguishing between harmless humour and public mockery may be difficult. If
a humorous anecdote has the potential to make someone seem foolish, naive, or
outlandish, you should probably leave it out.
The third trap is less obvious.
Competent journalists frequently find themselves feeling empathy for the
subjects of their stories. They could make themselves into protagonists or
antagonists, become into activists, or write biassed narratives in various
ways.
The Feature Article
"A newspaper feature story is an
article that goes beyond the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a straight
news item in order to have an effect," says the New York Times. According
to Alex McKinney of "Editor & Publisher," the feature's
"justification, strength, and identity lie in its penetration of the
imagination" (not in departing from or stretching the truth, but in
piercing the peculiar and particular truths that strike people's curiosity,
sympathy, scepticism, humour, consternation, or amazement).
That is why going above and above is
required to develop a feature-length narrative. Features provide more context
for or detail about a topic, allowing readers to have a deeper grasp of it.
They also contextualise, analyse, probe, and personalise the story. Therefore,
a feature story gives the reader more than simply the facts of what occurred
and when it happened; it gives them a flavour of an event or the essence of a
person. It takes the reader deeper than the events themselves, into an
appreciation of what they mean.
A feature is more than simply a news
report; it is a tale, an interpretation, or an analysis. It has to be written
more like a short tale or an essay than the traditional inverted pyramid. It is
more than just the news, but it does not achieve much beyond satisfying the
need for context that all humans have. This is more than simply a recap; it is
an analysis of the current situation.
The Feature/Interpretative Writing
Process
One step in the feature/interpretive
process is the reporter's first concept. The reporter may obtain such a concept
from anywhere, anytime, and any source. Working, living, reading, listening,
watching, dreaming about, and analysing every part of his surroundings, the
reporter/writer may and should take up numerous ideas in any twenty-four hours
of his life.
Something a person says, does, or
even what they are wearing might spark an idea for a feature piece. A feature
writer's best ideas originate from real people; the ubiquitous personality
profile is only one example. It is possible that the character's words and
actions will provide further context. As such, a developing feature writer
would do well to cultivate skills in observation, listening, questioning, and
engaging with individuals of varying backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, etc., for
the purpose of generating ideas to include into their work. A reporter should
get out of his automobile and speak to strangers on the bus more often; pay
close attention to radio and television discussion programmes; analyse the
human interest points in ads; go to lectures, news conferences, activity
groups, concerts, airports, depots, plays, theatres, and funerals. A skilled
feature writer must always be on the lookout for interesting human behaviour.
He has to learn to trust his instincts as much as he trusts his observations.
He has to "listen with his eyes," as renowned acting coach Uta Hagen
puts it.
If you want to be a competent feature
writer, you need to be a reader. Everything from daily and weekly newspapers
(including advertising and classifieds), magazines, directories, yellow pages,
books, etc. might help him in his hunt for ideas. Even in email, inspiration
might be waiting. If he is serious about finding fascinating features, he reads
all he can get his hands on.
Learning from one's own mistakes is
the greatest way to improve, but experience may also serve as a fantastic idea
generator. The author's own first-hand experience cannot be replicated by any
amount of research, interviews, or case studies. The piece would benefit
greatly from the feature writer gaining first-hand knowledge on the topic.
Successful feature writers will do just about everything to get their pieces be
seen as credible. They have joined gangs, had relationships, gone to prison or other
countries, worked in industries they are researching, or volunteered at
hospitals they want to write about. To gain a real feel for the topic and
provide readers the facts behind the fiction, they have aligned themselves with
racketeers, drug pushers and barons, 419ers, and just about everyone else in
the criminal underworld. Writers have frequently found fertile ground for
feature pieces in the experiences of their employment, locations, and people he
knows well; sports, hobbies, and games he is acquainted with; views and
philosophies he values; his happiest and/or saddest events, and so on.
After the intriguing idea has been
conceived, the second phase in feature writing is to collect data about the
topic. After outlining the concept in detail, the feature writer will go into
numerous locations, resources, and individuals to acquire information. The
process of obtaining data marks the beginning of an expansion of the concept
designed to bring it to its fullest feasible shape.
Q.5 Explain
news values and their importance for news writing.
In journalism, "news
values" are "factors that determine whether events are covered and
how they are reported." These criteria provide insight into what
constitutes "news" in the first place. Not all cultures have the same
perspectives on what constitutes important news. Researchers and journalists
have compiled a plethora of lists of news ideals, some of which aim to
characterise news practises across cultures while others have grown
astonishingly specialised to the press of particular (typically Western)
countries. Although Gatling and Ruge's research demonstrated that numerous
characteristics are consistently applied across a spectrum of news
organisations, editors in the West often rely on their expertise and intuition
when making judgments on the selection and prioritising of news.
News values may be studied from four
distinct theoretical and methodological angles: the material (which emphasises
the facts of the events themselves), the cognitive (which emphasises the
attitudes and values of the public), the social (which emphasises journalistic
behaviour), and the discursive (focusing on the discourse).
News values
During the newsgathering process,
journalists face a number of internal and external influences that might result
in biassed or unethical coverage. The likelihood that a news organisation will
notice an event, that a story will be written about the event, that the story
will be written in the way that it is written, that the story will be published
as news, and where it will be placed in the publication are all decisions that
could be influenced by a number of different factors. News criterion lists may
thus be endless.
A news organisation is more likely to
cover a breaking story than one that unfolds gradually or at an inconvenient
time of day or night. Not much attention is likely to be paid to long-term
tendencies. Newsworthy events are those that have just occurred, are happening
right now, are still developing, or will occur soon. relevant to the audience's
immediate surroundings. There are many who think that the word
"Closeness," which encompasses both physical and cultural proximity,
better describes the newsworthiness of this phenomenon (see
"meaningfulness").
It is more interesting to hear about
bad news than good. This is what some people mean when they talk about
"the fundamental news value." On the other hand, it has been argued
that positivity may function as a news value (such as sports news, science
news, feel-good tabloid stories). Dramatic results may be achieved via the
confrontation of opposing groups or forces. Conflict-filled events tend to
attract a lot of media attention. At times, this news value is included into
the overall Negativity category rather than being shown alone. More interesting
to the public than the usual, predictable, and commonplace are unusual,
unexpected, and uncommon occurrences.
Better copy may be written about
events whose implications are straightforward, rather than those whose meaning
is ambiguous or requires knowledge of a complicated setting. Events that can be
framed as the work of specific people are more likely to draw attention than
those that can't. The ability to put an experience into one's own perspective
is fundamental to the concept of personalization (affecting or involving
specific, "ordinary" people, not the generalised masses).
This ties into the degree to which
the target demographic can connect to the material being presented. Events
involving individuals who speak the same language, appear the same, and share
the audience's preoccupations get more attention than those involving people
who speak a different language, look a different way, and have distinct
preoccupations. One concept that is closely connected to this is
"Relevance," which refers to how applicable or relatable an event is
to the life of the intended audience. The influence of anything might be on the
intended audience or on anybody else who experiences it. It is noteworthy if it
is a major deal that will affect many people.
More attention is paid to events
involving major world powers than to those involving smaller or less prominent
countries. More attention is paid to stories that involve the wealthy, the
powerful, the famous, and the notorious. Source quality (also known as "Attribution")
is also included. Big stories have a lot of impact because of how much they
affect people.
More attention is paid to stories
that conform to the media's preconceived notions than to those that challenge
them (and for which they are thus unprepared). Take into consideration that
this seems to go against the aforesaid unpredictability. However, in this
context, "consonance" means that the media are prepared to cover the
story. Editorial biases and preconceived notions of how things should go may
also contribute to a lack of consonance.
There is some inertia to a story that
has already made headlines. This is due in part to the fact that the necessary
media outlets exist to cover the topic, and in part to the fact that the story
may have become more well known thanks to earlier coverage (making it less
ambiguous).
As a result, stories often have to
vie with one another for the limited amount of airtime available. If there is
too much international news, for example, an item on domestic news may have to
make way for a less significant international topic in order to strike a
balance. The prominence given to a story is therefore based not just on its own
news worth but also on the news value of other stories that are fighting for
attention.
Journalists may agree with the
newsworthiness assigned to a story by a competing outlet out of commercial or
professional competitiveness. If it is connected to a larger topic that is
already being covered, even a little story may get some attention. A
less-important narrative that can be produced quickly and easily may be chosen
over a more-important one that requires extensive study and writing from
scratch. If a news outlet knows about an event in advance, they are more likely
to report on it. What happens after a tale is published, not what happens. This
includes how many times the story is read, loved, and commented on, as well as
how widely it is shared (also termed Shareability). A narrative may be
considered "shareable" if it meets the criteria of being brief, touching,
surprising, and easily triggered. Incorporating such analytic work into daily
routines at the newsroom level is increasingly essential.
Because of their short production
cycles and pressing deadlines, traditional news outlets like radio, television,
and newspapers tend to focus on topics that can be investigated and written
about fast. Even if access to worldwide communications has been much improved,
the capacity to deploy and manage production and reporting people, as well as
the functioning of technological resources, may influence whether or not a
story gets covered. In order to maintain credibility and relevance, the media
must provide evidence for all of its claims. Journalists like reviewing raw
data because it allows them to more objectively assess a situation. Facticity,
the emphasis on hard data in reporting, is another synonym for this phenomenon.
One significant distinction between
these news values is whether or not they pertain to events or tales. As an
example, the terms "composition" and "co-option" are both
associated with the same news item. These are the standards of journalism that
evaluate how stories relate to one another. The goal is to avoid having too
many of the same stories in different parts of the newscast or newspaper. News
values that pertain to elements of events, such as Eliteness (the elite status
of news actors or sources) or Proximity (the proximity of the event's location
to the intended audience), are qualitatively distinct from these types of news
values.