What makes a News? Or Importance of News Values/ Determinants

News Values / Determinants

News is an accurate, unbiased account of the significant facts of a timely happening that is of interest to people. It is an account of a recent event or opinion which is important or interesting. But all events and issues are not qualified as news. There are certain indicators that decide the newsworthiness of an event or issue. Some of them are:

• Timeliness

News is a time bound process. A recent event is more newsworthy than an old event. An accident that took place an hour before is timelier than one happened two days before.

• Proximity

How important is the news for the audience is a significant question. A local happening in most cases is considered to be more relevant to a local reader compared to an event taking place in a faraway country. Union election taking place in our country is more newsworthy here than the presidential election happening in USA.

• Impact

Certain issues with social concern and direct impact on the audience’s life are newsworthy. Impact is the importance or significance of the issue. The capability of an event or issue to create a series of events is the impact of that event. Annual budget, controversies on corruption, communal riots, etc., are examples.

• Consequences

All newsworthy events have consequences. But the level and extent of the event decides its news value. An accident in which a number of people died is worthier than an accident without causalities.

• Conflict

Conflicts between individuals, states, and ideologies make news. A physical conflict which leads to injuries and damage is worthier than ideological or mental conflicts. Wars, violent protests, murders, political conflicts, etc., makes to the front page of the newspaper. Audience are interested in elements like tension and suspense, which are essentials qualities of conflict.

• Disaster

Disaster can be classified into natural and manmade. Crime is a manmade disaster while earthquake is a natural disaster. America bombing in Iraq, earthquake in Nepal that killed hundreds of people, is all newsworthy events.

• Human interest

All events that have an emotional impact on the audiences, come under this category. A protest spawned by social media, a demigod caught for cheating followers with magic tricks, a seven year old girl with multitasking skills, etc., are examples for human interest stories.

• Novelty

If a dog bites a man it’s not news, but when a man bites a dog it’s news. I.e., an unusual event, action or statement, which puzzles and wonders the audience, has a novelty element in it. Unusual hobbies, superstitious believes, a child with bodily deformations, a dog with extreme physical skills, etc. are newsworthy.

• Prominence

An event involving a celebrity will attract more coverage than an event involving a common man. Bigger personalities and organisations are certainly newsworthy. Scope for news is always around such people and organisations. For example Apple introducing their new product, a film star inaugurating a textile shop, are newsworthy events.

• Predictability

Certain events like cricket world cup, general elections, and film awards are predictable. Hence the audience will be waiting for the new reports of the events.

• Progress

Any kind of social, political, and ideological changes that lead a society to progress always make news.