Determining Newsworthiness: What Makes Something News?

Determining what is newsworthy is not a venue that is readily agreed upon by all journalists. What one finds acceptable may be viewed as appalling by another, and so continues the never-ending saga in the world of journalism. There are, however, a few leading points that most everyone can agree upon.

Location

Location can be of importance if your subject matter is only of interest to a select few. Small town newspapers frequently report break-ins or arrests because they are of interest to the locals. Such announcements would be useless, however, if published in USA Today. If reporting on a local matter, the writer needs to determine whether or not it would be newsworthy to the rest of the world. It is imperative that location and subject matter meld together to reach the appropriate readers.

Human Interest

The most sought after stories in journalism are those that are written about people. The human psyche has an inherent desire to know things about other people, and regardless of their location or background, these can be of national interest if the person and/or events are particularly intriguing. A celebrity, for instance, is always newsworthy because of their fan base. On the other hand, a story about a local woman winning a supermarket sweeps might only appeal to local readers. Again, the marriage of location and subject must come together in a uniform way.

Unique Events

Uniqueness plays an important role when seeking to find something that is newsworthy. The article should contain key issues that require people to think and inspire them to strike up a conversation about it. Not everyone might like cats, but a story about a cat that saved a family from burning in a house fire is not your ordinary feline.

Timely

In order to spark the interest of your readers you have to be certain that the news is fresh. Reporting on something that occurred last week does nothing to gain attention or credibility. If the subject matter hasn't already been reported on then, chances are, that it will do nothing to attract readers now.

Effect on Human Life

What affect does the story have on the public? How does it effect the way we live, our finances, our health? The more people that can relate to a story the more readers it will attract.

Emotion

The best articles are those that touch on emotion. Whether it results in the reader pulling out pen and paper and writing to their congressman, or causes them to grab a loved one for an unscheduled hug, emotion is an intricate part of journalism. Whether the emotion is anger or empathy, the more emotion that is felt through your words, the more likely you are to have a line of avid followers.

The path of journalism is never clear-cut, and the opinions surrounding it are as varied as the stories that it provides. And, while our lives are constantly changing and every day is one in which news takes place, it does not necessarily mean that everything is newsworthy.