CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD NEWS
Timeliness or Immediacy
This Characteristic of a new item
underscores the newest angle of the story. For
instance, the changing of the grading system
which was announced yesterday is more
appealing to a student other than the Christmas
party last December.
It should be noted, too, that the more recent
the event, the more appealing it is to the
reader.
Conflict
The physical and mental struggles of
persons are also newsworthy. In campus
context, competitions like oratorical contests
and quiz bees are newsworthy due to the
mental conflicts present. Sports events during
intramurals or founding days are newsworthy,
too, as they have physical conflicts.
Proximity or Nearness
Although proximity primarily refers to
geographical location, it likewise means the
nearness of interest and appeal. In the context
of writing news in the campus or school for
students in Compostela Valley what is
happening to Compostela Valley State College
will be more interest to them than what is
happening to Western Mindanao State
University.
Accuracy
Journalism is anchored on facts. News
writing is journalistic skill. Therefore, the
contests should be accuracy reported. Accuracy
primarily refers to the factualness of news as
purveyor of truth.
Significance
Hence, a writer should survey whatever is
significant to the life of the target readers and
write about it. When news is important to
him/her, the news bears a high degree of
significance, thus, newsworthy and worth
reading. In the campus setting, topics that are
highly significant include new rules imposed by
the administration or the student government,
amendments to policies, upcoming big events,
results of scholarship screening and the like.
Drama
Since news is also anchored on the
public interest, writers should bank on any story
that can lead the writers to crying or to
laughing. Such story is packed with color; thus,
subjects are moving. In this way, the news
becomes appealing to the readers.
For instance, you write a story of the student
leader who manages to graduate as Magna Cum
Laude despite his five-year term as the College
Student Government.
Oddity or Unusualness
Sociology can explain why oddity is a
good element of news. A theory explains that
when persons are curious about a phenomenon
deviating from a natural course, they will be
interested in such a topic or issue; hence, that
topic becomes newsworthy. Looking into the
campus situation, one may write about forty-
year-old student who has just graduated; he has
just finished his fifth bachelor’s degree in your
college. This unusual situation may be so
intriguing as regards the student’s purpose,
therefore, becoming more newsworthy to the
readers.
Romance and Adventure
“Love makes the world go round,” so a song
says. Hence, stories about love, including
adventure, may ignite the taste of the reading
public. This is also the reason why showbiz
news continuously booms.

Progress
Attaining breakthroughs and achieving
scientific discoveries are given much attention
by the readers. This attribute of the news gives
a high degree of shock and a sense of
development in the society where the persons
live. Looking into a school situation, progress
may be in the form of a newly constructed
building and newly donated laboratory
equipment from alumni abroad.

Numbers
For persuasion statistics or figures have
the power to shake the conviction of the
audience. This is why numbers yield a very
strong impact on the readers. However, the
figures that one should write should be worth
appreciating.

For instance, the Alumni Association donated

one computer sets to the school. The latter
yields a higher degree of newsworthiness than
the former. It is not safe to say, however, that
the higher the figure, the higher is its
newsworthiness. Say, your school performed in
the national achievement Test 50% lower than
last year’s data. This is a figure lower than the
usual and yet bears a high degree of interest.