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Discussion
What is news?
There are a number of different, oft-overlapping factors that can make a story newsworthy. Most good stories have at least two or three of these.
- Novelty: Is there an element of the unexpected? A twist of the usual narrative?
For journalism students everywhere. Today’s @southwalesargus front page. pic.twitter.com/Xb9PDIcQjd
— Adrian Masters (@adrianmasters84) June 14, 2014
Timeliness: In breaking news, you’re quick or you’re dead. But it’s important to be first AND to be right. Timeliness is also relevant when it comes to something called a news peg. Have a story about climate change that you think is great but which has been rejected by multiple editors? Try pitching it ahead of the global climate change summit. Have a story about the public health crisis caused by open defecation in India? Wait until World Toilet Day rolls around, then pitch it.
Impact/Consequence: Is it about something that will have a direct effect on someone, especially the outlet’s readership/viewership? Contaminated water, public school funding, etc.
Proximity: The above mentioned contaminated water isn’t particularly big news to a small town newspaper in Connecticut if it’s happening in Ukraine, but if it’s happening right in their town, that’s huge news.
Conflict: This is why people often criticize “the media” for being so negative, but it’s unavoidable to some extent. The millions of people who don’t get murdered each day aren’t news. The few who do are. Conflict doesn’t have to be violent or super dramatic; it just means that tension has arisen between people who want different things. Lawsuits, NIMBYs getting mad about vendors in their local parks, etc.
Human interest: This is a little tricky to define, but generally speaking, people are interested in other people. Looking into someone else’s life as part of a well-told narrative appeals to human nature. Ideally, a human interest story will have some other news element to help it get some traction (a news peg of some sort). Some stories, like this one, are pegged to something that happened awhile ago but it was such a huge, news-cycle-dominating story when it happened that people remember it well and tend to prick up their ears when they see some sort of follow-up.
Prominence: Imagine this headline: “Area Woman Announces She’s Expecting Twins.” No one cares. Now try this: “Beyonce Announces She’s Expecting Twins.” Prominence is obviously a subjective thing, and it can sometimes be tricky when it comes to ethics because it plays into who is fair game as a public figure. That’s why this Gawker story was so controversial.
Global news stories
Having gone over all of this, one way you guys can be assured of some news value in the stories you report this semester is to peg them to a larger “evergreen” issue. There are some topics that are almost always going to be newsworthy because they are ongoing sources of global conflict and impact, and it’s up to you to provide the proximity factor by looking for local angles on these international stories. So let’s take a look at some major issues affecting the world today and brainstorm some ways they affect people here in New York.
Climate change
Public health
Refugees and migration
Economic development
Labor issues
Women’s rights
Assignment
Due next class (Wednesday, because there’s no class Monday):
Pick a country (or stateless nation) as your beat for the semester and write a “beat memo.” In this document you will compile background information (languages spoken, religions practiced, history, most-read and most-viewed local news outlets, current events, demographics and popular neighborhoods for the immigrant community in New York) as well as contact info for relevant local and international sources whom you may call on for interviews and research throughout the semester.
Requirements
At least 800 words, not counting contact info
Should include quote or quotes from at least one interview with one of the people you’ve found
How to approach a potential source for a story?