WHAT IS NEWS? Part 2. Who decides? How does news get to be news?

WHAT IS NEWS?

Part 2

Who decides?

How does news get to be news?

“Gatekeepers”

Too much information out there; can’t possibly put it all in newspaper or broadcast.

Each news outlet has a person or people who select what will be the news for that “edition.”

Those people are gatekeepers. Also known as … Editors Producers Directors

What criteria do you think gatekeepers use in making their decisions?

Making Decisions

How are you a gatekeeper?

You = personal gatekeeper

Playing Gatekeeper

Pretend you’re the editor of a Scott High School newspaper or podcast.

On a sheet of paper, make 3 columns Label them: “News,” “Sports, “Student

Life” List 3 ideas for stories in each category

Playing Gatekeeper - 2

Trade papers “Grade” each idea:

X = doesn’t interest you √ = interests you = interests you a lot

Trade papers again

What criteria did you use

to make your decisions?

Top Stories?

3 Criteria

Facts Adequate Accurate Timely

Audience Who will be reading? What are their values? Interests?

Interest Have meaning to the audience

These factors influence the news that gets to public (different from newsworthiness)

6 Factors

Factor 1: News hole

the amount of space in the newspaper or time in a newscast available for news

what determines news hole? business factors

Web: not too much of a factor

Factor 2: News flow

the number of news stories available to run at any one time

Example: Sports Illustrated

Factor 3: Medium

some stories play better on TV than in newspaper & vice versa newspapers – many stories, some depth magazines – depth, some perspective radio – fastest & sound TV – fast & pictures Internet -- hybrid

Factor 4: Deadlines

the latest time a story can be finished in order to be printed in that paper or shown on that newscast

Game-changers: 24-hour cable Internet

Factor 5: Editorial Philosophy what a media outlet chooses to cover

Factor 6: Business

What sells!

Where does news come from?

Finding News

Beats

Beat A regular assignment give to reporters A place reporters go to regularly to get info

Reporters work a beat to find stories Gain expertise & contacts—which lead to

stories

Sources

Source Someone who provides information to a

journalist Journalists develop regular sources

through their beat assignments People contact reporters with stories

“Local Angle”

Local Connection – a fact or person that connects a story originating elsewhere to the local audience George Clooney – “Maysville native” War in Afghanistan – local soldiers

involvement (killed or wounded) Local groups raising money or collecting

supplies for Haitian earthquake victims

Chad Ochocinco: 'Dancing with the Stars' will help in off-season

Bengals wide receiver practices four hours daily with partner Cheryl Burke

By John Kiesewetter • [email protected] • March 9, 2010

Chad Ochocinco took a few minutes away from “Dancing with the Stars” practice to provide a scouting report on his attempt to master the cha-cha in three weeks.

“It’s extremely, extremely hard,” says Ochocinco, 32, one of 11 celebrities who will compete on the hit ABC show that starts March 22.

“Local Angle” – 2

Local Focus – bringing a larger national or international story into the local community Swine flue – local update Local impact of national controversies

Follow Up

“Next day” Reporting that follows up on a story from

the previous day Futures file

Coming back to a story for a planned update