Elements of News

Top ten elements that make a

story newsworthy.
Timeliness
How recent a
story is.
Not all of the
story needs to
be timely.
Proximity
How near to
you a story is.
People are
generally more
interested in
stories that are
geographically
close to them.
Consequence
How many
people are
impacted by the
story.
Examples: new
laws, taxes, etc.
Prominence
The more famous a
person is, the more
likely they are to
make the news.
If you and the
president both went
to lunch, only the
president would
make the news.
Drama
The more
movie-like a
story is, the
more
newsworthy it is.
Whenever life
and death hang
in the balance, it
is news
Oddity
Whenever strange things
happen, it will make the
news.
It can also occur with events
that only happen once every
great while.
Conflict
Whenever there
are two opposing
side to an issue.
This can also be
taken literally a
fight or argument.
Emotions
People love
reading stories
that play on
emotion.
Awwwwww
factor
Sex
Should always be
reported in a
mature manner.
Deals with
marriage, divorce,
dating, etc.

Progress
Any new discovery
or helpful
invention can make
the news.
This can also be a
timely update on a
long-standing
project.
Dont forget!
The more of these elements you
combine, the more newsworthy a
story is.
Rarely will a story just have one
element if it is on the front page.