What is Newsworthy? Journalism Mr. Dudek

1. PROMINENCE Someone with a well-known name attracts more interest than someone who is unknown.

2. MAGNITUDE The larger the size, the more people, the greater the price = the bigger news.

3. PROXIMITY The nearer it happens, the more it matters.

4. UNIQUENESS A singular or rare event grabs our attention.

5. TIMELINESS The recent past, present, and immediate future mean more to us than the distant past.

6. SIGNIFICANCE Meaningful to the reader and the reader’s life.

7. CONFLICT Any struggle, battle, or fight between two people, or groups of people.

8. HUMAN INTEREST Touching the readers’ feelings, emotions, sense of humor, or arousing empathy.

A Review Journalism Mr. Dudek What is Newsworthy? A Review Journalism Mr. Dudek

CONFLICT Terrorists in Lima, Peru hold 200 people hostage.

HUMAN INTEREST A whale swims the wrong way in a channel and is trapped. The nation is captivated by its struggle.

TIMELINESS Tomorrow is the first day of spring.

PROMINENCE A former president of the United States dies.

HUMAN INTEREST A man bumps his head, recovers from amnesia, and returns to the wife he left fifteen years earlier.

PROXIMITY The Lindblom Eagles football team wins the state championship.

NOT NEWSWORTHY A cat that went missing yesterday, returns home today.

HUMAN INTEREST A cat that went missing five years ago, returns home today.

PROMINENCE An Academy Award-winning actress sues her husband for divorce.

NOT NEWSWORTHY A Chicago woman celebrates her 92nd birthday.

NOT NEWSWORTHY A fight breaks out among two players at last night’s Blackhawks game.

CONFLICT; UNIQUENESS A fight breaks out among two delegates at last night’s City Council meeting.

HOMER What is this dog’s name?