What Is News
How do you tell what is news?
A. Timeliness
- The day of or the day before publication
- Or immediate future
- Those past, but have an anniversary
- Why are you telling me this now?
B. Proximity
- In or close to community
- Where people live
C. Unusual nature
- Out-of ordinary
- Bizarre or rare events
- People engaged in unusual activities
D. Celebrities
- People who are well-known - entertainers, athletes
- Can be national or local
E. Human interest
- People who have special problems, achievements or experiences
- Profiles or unusual stories about people that make readers care about them
F. Conflict
G. Impact
- Reaction stories to news events or news angles that affect readers
- Local reaction to national news
H. Helpfulness
- Consumer
- Health
- How-to
I. Entertainment
- Amusement
- News features in sports and lifestyle sections
J. Inspiration
- People who overcome difficulties
- Human interest
K. Special interest
- Appeal to people special interest, such as science, business, religion, women, college students, etc.
L. Issues or problems in the community
- Conflict
- Proximity
M. Trends
- Patterns or shifts in issues that influence readers' lives, such as increases in crime, social issues or other forces in society.