Elements of news judgment What editors take into account.

Elements of news judgment

Elements of news judgment

What editors take into accountWhat editors take into account

What is news?What is news?

What is news?What is news?

Curtis D. MacDougall1938 classic “Interpretative

Reporting”

“News is an account of an event which a newspaper prints in the belief that by so doing it will profit.”

Curtis D. MacDougall1938 classic “Interpretative

Reporting”

“News is an account of an event which a newspaper prints in the belief that by so doing it will profit.”

Deciding what’s newsDeciding what’s news

Deciding what’s newsDeciding what’s news

TimelinessTimeliness

Deciding what’s newsDeciding what’s news

TimelinessImpact

TimelinessImpact

Deciding what’s newsDeciding what’s news

TimelinessImpactSingularity (uniqueness)

TimelinessImpactSingularity (uniqueness)

Deciding what’s newsDeciding what’s news

TimelinessImpactSingularity (uniqueness)Proximity

TimelinessImpactSingularity (uniqueness)Proximity

Deciding what’s newsDeciding what’s news

TimelinessImpactSingularity (uniqueness)ProximityProminence

TimelinessImpactSingularity (uniqueness)ProximityProminence

Deciding what’s newsDeciding what’s news

TimelinessImpactSingularity (uniqueness)ProximityProminenceConflict

TimelinessImpactSingularity (uniqueness)ProximityProminenceConflict

TimelinessTimeliness

Something that just happened is newsier than something that happened a while ago

Something that just happened is newsier than something that happened a while ago

TimelinessTimeliness

Something that just happened is newsier than something that happened a while ago

Key on the latest development, not the original incident

Something that just happened is newsier than something that happened a while ago

Key on the latest development, not the original incident

ImpactImpact

Real, not theoreticalReal, not theoretical

ImpactImpact

Real, not theoretical“World could end tomorrow”

Real, not theoretical“World could end tomorrow”

ImpactImpact

Real, not theoretical“World could end tomorrow”Death is the ultimate impact

Real, not theoretical“World could end tomorrow”Death is the ultimate impact

ImpactImpact

Real, not theoretical“World could end tomorrow”Death is the ultimate impactNumbers also matter (how many)

Real, not theoretical“World could end tomorrow”Death is the ultimate impactNumbers also matter (how many)

SingularitySingularity

SingularitySingularity

“Man bites dog”“Man bites dog”

SingularitySingularity

“Man bites dog”Coincidence

“Man bites dog”Coincidence

ProximityProximity

Local angleLocal angle

ProximityProximity

Local angleHow to define?

Local angleHow to define?

ProximityProximity

Local angleHow to define?In some cases, local local; in other

cases the whole state, region or country

Local angleHow to define?In some cases, local local; in other

cases the whole state, region or country

ProximityProximity

Local angleHow to define?In some cases, local local; in other

cases the whole state, region or country

Just because something happened nearby doesn’t mean it’s newsworthy

Local angleHow to define?In some cases, local local; in other

cases the whole state, region or country

Just because something happened nearby doesn’t mean it’s newsworthy

ProminenceProminence

ProminenceProminence

CelebrityCelebrity

ProminenceProminence

CelebrityA famous person

CelebrityA famous person

ProminenceProminence

CelebrityA famous personThis does NOT refer to groups

CelebrityA famous personThis does NOT refer to groups

ProminenceProminence

CelebrityA famous personThis does NOT refer to groupsA story about a teacher is not

necessarily newsworthy just because teachers occupy a prominent place in society

CelebrityA famous personThis does NOT refer to groupsA story about a teacher is not

necessarily newsworthy just because teachers occupy a prominent place in society

ConflictConflict

ConflictConflict

Ranges from policy disputesRanges from policy disputes

ConflictConflict

Ranges from policy disputesTo sports rivalries

Ranges from policy disputesTo sports rivalries

ConflictConflict

Ranges from policy disputesTo sports rivalriesTo shooting wars

Ranges from policy disputesTo sports rivalriesTo shooting wars

Always a balancing actAlways a balancing act

Always a balancing actAlways a balancing act

Stories that have more elements of news are likely to be stronger than those with fewer

Stories that have more elements of news are likely to be stronger than those with fewer

Always a balancing actAlways a balancing act

Stories that have more elements of news are likely to be stronger than those with fewer

But there are gradations within each category

Stories that have more elements of news are likely to be stronger than those with fewer

But there are gradations within each category

Always a balancing actAlways a balancing act

Stories that have more elements of news are likely to be stronger than those with fewer

But there are gradations within each category

Bigger & smaller celebrities; bigger & smaller impacts; bigger & smaller conflicts

Stories that have more elements of news are likely to be stronger than those with fewer

But there are gradations within each category

Bigger & smaller celebrities; bigger & smaller impacts; bigger & smaller conflicts

Who are our readers?Who are our readers?

Who are our readers?Who are our readers?

Local Oshkosh paperLocal Oshkosh paper

Who are our readers?Who are our readers?

Local Oshkosh paperTraditional values

Local Oshkosh paperTraditional values

Who are our readers?Who are our readers?

Local Oshkosh paperTraditional valuesHomogeneous

Local Oshkosh paperTraditional valuesHomogeneous

Who are our readers?Who are our readers?

Local Oshkosh paperTraditional valuesHomogeneousSports/outdoors

Local Oshkosh paperTraditional valuesHomogeneousSports/outdoors