What makes something newsworthy 5 criteria in judging

What makes something newsworthy? 5 criteria in judging a story

Prominence n n n Celebrities Politicians Public servant Marriage of the mayor Arrest of star athlete

Timeliness n n Recent occurrence Seasonal stories News = timeliness Varies by production schedule (daily, weekly, monthly, etc…)

Impact n n n Large # of readers Education Budget Safety Elections

Conflict n n n n Difference of opinion Surprise Tension Suspense Sporting events Political campaigns Tragedies

Novelty n n n Unique Strange Odd Lottery winner Bear sightings

News Story Essentials

Accuracy n n Check out questionable information. Clarify “fuzzy” information. Check spelling. Your credibility is on the line.

Objectivity n n Recognize your biases and overcome them. Exclude your own opinions from your stories. Be aware of slanted word choice: interesting, tragic, claims, feels, etc… Write in the third person: he, she, it, they, him, her, them.

Story Choice and Sources n n n Avoid covering an event in which you play a key role. Interview students who represent a variety of viewpoints. Dig for information to reflect all points of view.

Readability n n n Use short sentences: 16 to 17 words. Use short paragraphs – two sentences or so. Link together paragraphs with transition words and phrases.