What makes a story newsworthy? The Elements of News What makes a story newsworthy?

Timeliness Timeliness refers to how recent or newness of the facts A story about football is more timely in November than it is in June

Proximity The nearness of a given event to your place of publication Generally events occurring in your school has more news value to students than those occurring on the other side of the world People like to read things that are familiar and things that are “close to home” are usually familiar

Prominence Refers to the “newsworthiness” of an individual or organization People who are (in)famous or well-known by others; celebrities, politicians, athletes, etc.

Human Interest Also known as Emotion Human-Interest stories cause readers to laugh or cry People are interested in how other people behave

Conflict Conflict involves tension, surprise and suspense Why do you think so many people attend sporting events? Why are so many people interested in elections? Why are wars news?

Novelty Novelty stories are odd or surprising stories. Scientific discoveries or dog rescues child would fall under this category.

Know your Demographic! As a journalist, you want to cater your news stories to your target audience. Common Demographic categories: Men, Women, Teens, Elderly, Middle-Class, Mothers, Athletes, particular professions, etc. Things to consider: Will people be interested in this information? Will this information affect them?