Newsworthy words appear in headlines or in short paragraphs that appear beneath articles in news print, including: “A new study finds that exercise may help prevent heart disease.” “The most complete study to date on mice proves that Omega-3 fish oil prevents cardiovascular disease.” “New research discovers that antioxidants can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.” Other examples of newsworthy words appearing in news stories include: quoted (an attribution to an individual or company), latest (an item noted for its significance rather than its salience), controversial (a matter of public debate), or breaking (of an event that has broken through the news and is now making news).
The reasons that news stories make news may be as simple as an issue that is currently of public interest or as complex as an international political conflict. For example, many people may read the news in the same way that certain industries do. They may also be interested in specific events, places, or people. Thus, news stories that touch on important issues may affect many people. Conversely, entertainment news stories that make fun of someone or an organization may not have much of an impact on the general public.
While many newspapers and magazines strive to present a balanced selection of viewpoints, a well-written news article provides an interesting and informative read for both news watchers and readers. Because some readers may prefer to only read news that is deemed not critical, well-written articles provide a platform for those who are passionate about a particular subject to express their opinion. Even when readers disagree with the opinions expressed in an article, they will likely read the article at least for the sake of curiosity.
Having a basis for why something is newsworthy, helps individuals and businesses know what makes news stories important. This basis for judgment comes from a wide range of sources, including entertainment media, sports, business, and political perspectives. Although many people rely on multiple perspectives to form their judgments, few people can anticipate every occurrence that will happen in the world. Therefore, a news story that makes many people happy and others unhappy must have some significance.
A good news article will adhere to the standard of six values of meaningful news: accuracy, transparency, accountability, fairness, knowledge, and support. An article that meets the standards of any of the above six values is newsworthy. However, a news article must still satisfy the overall newsworthiness standards that are commonly associated with it. The New York Times, for example, adheres to the general newsworthiness standards that are associated with the paper.
Readers who enjoy engaging in current events and have an interest in the particular subject matter should be especially attracted to informative journalism. Stories that tell the personal impact of human interaction provide readers with significant information that they will find interesting and that will help them understand the world and its workings better. Personal impact stories make news because readers feel personally affected by events and stories that tell about how other people are feeling make news because readers want to know how other people are feeling. In the same way, readers who enjoy current events and are interested in the details of those events will be particularly attracted to an article that tells the story of an event or a rise in something or someone’s profile. These readers will be particularly receptive to stories that make them feel personally involved with whatever issue is at hand.
