NEWS ELEMENTS

1. Timeliness: The news happened recently (since the last edition) It’s new, otherwise, we’d call it “olds” Almost every story has some timeliness aspect. For example: A teen driver is hit by another car at the crossing of ITO today, in the newspaper tomorrow.

3. Currency: No, not as in money It’s related to something else in the news. For example: A story on how many accidents have occurred at this intersection in the last few years.

4. Conflict: War, elections, sports, group/society/individual struggles etc. any time there is a struggle. For example: In an election year a lot of stories about the election are news. The conflict in Iraq is news.

5. Consequence: The subject of a story has an impact on how people live their lives. For example: A story on a new curfew that will take effect, or a street that is under construction, or a scientific breakthrough.

6. Prominence: Elected, wealthy, famous personalities/place. For example: If I choke on traffic, it’s not news. When the president does, it is news.

7. Proximity: Closeness, either because of geographical proximity or because of relationship. For example: News about the area (geographical) or news about things of interest/concern to locals (relationship).

8. Human Interest: “Warm and fuzzy” feeling. For example: Olympic athlete bios, Dateline “Survivor Stories”

9. Oddity: Weird stuff. For example: Something bizarre that just doesn’t fit anywhere else

10. Three goals of journalism Inform, Educate and Entertain.