Chapter 3: What is News?

The definition of news has changed over time.

News was once only “hard news” or events.

Examples: natural disasters (hurricane, tornado),
protests,
elections, or human conflict (war, murder)
How is news currently defined?
 News still means “hard news,” but it also includes
 trends, like ways to “go green” (to be
environmentally friendly) or new uses of technology;
 lifestyle choices, like ways to add exercise to a
person’s daily routine or to eliminate stress;
 fashion, like the effects of flip-flops on feet;
 Etc.

What other information or issues do audiences

(you) encounter regularly in the news?
How and why has news changed?
 News providers face the following dilemma:

Give readers what they need and readers may

find the information “boring.”
OR
Give readers what they want and the information
will be “superficial.”

Can you think of examples where information could be boring, but

necessary for the reader?
Can you think of examples where information could be superficial?
How and why has news changed?
 In its earlier forms, news was predictable:
 Government activity
 Political debates, elections
 Social issues
 Violent weather
 Speeches
 Auto or airplane accidents
 Press conferences
 Births, marriages, deaths
How and why has news changed?
 In its current form, news is varied:
 Trends
 Lifestyles
 Fashion
 Health, nutrition, and exercise
 Leisure and recreational activities
 Parenting
 Educational opportunities
 Technology
What caused this change in news?
 Newspapers changed what they covered as “news”
because of several factors:
 a change in the direction of society;
 declining literacy;
 a loss of young readers;
 a drop in circulation;
 a more mobile society;
 television’s influence (upbeat, spectacular,
sensational);
 and readers were tired of “bad news.”
What caused this change in news?
 Newspapers changed the way they presented “news”
because of several factors:
 USA Today introduced a printed paper that was
colorful, upbeat, included many graphics, more
photos, more sidebars, less depth in story structure,
and was not concerned with city hall;
 the Internet provided audiences with global access
and created skeptical consumers;
 and society developed a different view
from the previous idea that the press
must provide society mainly with “hard
news” that has an emphasis on government.
What is news in the 21st Century?
All of the previously mentioned topics are now
widely considered to be “news.”

Scholastic journalists (student journalists) must

take a broad approach to reporting “news.”
Who are “newsmakers”?
 In the town, state, nation, or globally,
newsmakers are usually elected or appointed
leaders, politicians, inventors, or criminals.

 In the scope of scholastic journalism,

newsmakers also include students, teachers,
coaches, advisers, ancillary staff, school
administrators, school board members, and
those involved in school-related activities.
Who are “newsmakers”?
 In what situations might students be
“newsmakers”?
 In what situations might teachers be
“newsmakers”?
 In what situations might a principal or
superintendent be a “newsmaker”?
 In what situations might a custodian be a
“newsmaker”?
 In what situations might a board member be a
“newsmaker”?
How does a newspaper staff determine
what is really worth reporting as news?
 News Judgment – Reporters and editors must
use news judgment (the elements of news) to
determine what is news for their audience.
 Who cares? – Reporters and editors must ask
themselves, “Who (in our audience) cares
about this information?”
 Good Taste – Reporter and editors must
determine if the topic and information presented
is in good taste.
Before determining what is news, a
publication must identify its audience?
 Who is included in the audience (public) of a
scholastic newspaper?
 Students in the school and in other schools
 Teachers and other school personnel
 School administrators
 Board of Education members
 Parents, grandparents, and alumni
 Local residents
 Taxpayers, voters, and local businesspersons
What makes news?
 Familiarity breed blindness.
 Journalists need to look at things in a new way.
 A journalist is not just a student.

 Stories abound, but journalists

need to develop a “nose for news.”
 Journalists – especially scholastic journalists –
must look at the normal, everyday stuff they know
and see and think about how it could be a story.
Where is school news presented?
Where does one find school news?
 Daily bulletin (available in Power School)
 The weekly Miner Scoop (handout or on Web site)
 School announcements during the day
 Gymnasium marquee
 The Beulah Beacon (local newspaper)
 Magazines (both newsy magazines like Newsweek
or interest-type magazines like Sports Illustrated,
Vogue, or Popular Mechanics.)
 Internet sites, television, radio, podcasts, etc.
 Published texts
In determining “what is news,” how does the
publication measure “interest”? Who cares?
 News is perishable (News today may not be
news tomorrow. Like a sweet juicy orange,
news has a short shelf life; it spoils quickly.)

 Publication of “news” needs to be immediate.

 Timeliness is a major factor
 An advance is a story about an upcoming event.
Journalists ask questions to measure interest:
 How recent is it?
 How near is it?
 How important is it?
 Who cares? Why?
 Who will it affect?
 How did it happen?
 What resulted?

The Six Elements of News summarize these questions.

Using the previous list, would the following be
considered “news” or of interest to an audience:
 Jerrica Boeshans named homecoming queen.
 Beulah wins state speech meet.
 Columbus discovers America.
 Hula-hoops create excitement among teens.
 Beulah enforces curfew.
 Gerald Ford wins Presidential Election.
 Beulah hosts career fair.
 Beulah defeats Dickinson in volleyball.
 Heller plants petunias in flowerbed.
 I94 closes during recent flooding in Fargo, ND.
 Grafton students complete drivers’ education course.
News judgment is an important factor that
determines what is news:
 News judgment is the knowledge and instinct a
reporter or an editor uses to determine whether an
event is news.

 News judgment determines

 what stories to write,
 what facts to include in the story,
 what facts to put in the lead (the first paragraph).

 News judgment is acquired by

 reading newspapers,
 asking “Who cares?”,
 developing a “nose for news.”
News judgment is an important factor that
determines what is news:

 News judgment includes culling items

from yearbooks and newspapers that
would offend the readers’ good taste.

 Cull means to pick out for rejection

because it is not up to standard.
Good taste is also an important factor that
determines what is news:
 Some stories should NOT be printed due to
consideration of an respect for
community standards.

 If a journalist violates community standards,

he or she endangers the trust that the community
has in the reporter and the publication.
 Then, the trust is gone and the good will of the public
is lost, which depletes the reporter’s capacity for
service.
A Matter of Good Taste:
“Some things are no one else’s business.

Regardless of the readers’ interest in

gossip, a newspaper’s duty is to rise
above the level of spreading ugly
stories that invade privacy and upset
the lives of innocent people.”

~ Journalism Today textbook

Journalists’ Rights and Responsibilities:
 One’s rights as a journalist are
counterbalanced by his or her
responsibilities to protect the
rights of those written about.

 It is NOT an even balance.

 A journalist’s responsibilities weigh heavier

than his or her rights.
The Six Elements of News:
 Timeliness
 Proximity
 Prominence
 Consequence
 Human Interest
 Conflict
(…other minor elements may also be relevant.)
1. Timeliness:
 Timeliness refers to the newness of facts. Is
the news current or of interest at this time.
 An event that happened last year has less
timeliness than an event that happened last
month.
 An event that happened last month has less
timeliness than an event that happened last
week.
 An event that happened last week has less
timeliness than an event that happened
yesterday.
2. Proximity:
 Proximity refers to the nearness of an
event to the place of publication. Did the
action take place nearby?
 An event in India has very little proximity to
Beulah.
 An event in New York has very little, but more
proximity to Beulah than an event in India.
 An event in Fargo has little, but more proximity to
Beulah than an event in New York.
 An event in or near Beulah has proximity to
Beulah…and to the publication of The Miner
Incidents.
3. Prominence:
 Prominence refers to the newsworthiness
of an individual or an organization. Does
the story deal with well-known people or
social groups?
 If President Bush broke his leg while skiing, the
event would be newsworthy BECAUSE the
person involved is President Bush.
 If Mrs. Heller broke her leg while skiing,
the event would NOT be newsworthy
BECAUSE the person involved is
Mrs. Heller…and her injury will not
make a difference to as many people.
4. Consequence:
 Consequence refers to the
importance of an event.
 IF = THEN
 If a Joe steals a car, then Joe goes to jail.
 If the fastest leg of a state-qualifying relay team
breaks her arm the day before the meet…then
the consequence means the team may not
compete.
 If Mrs. Heller breaks her arm before final test
week, the test will still be administered…no
consequence.
5. Human Interest:
 Human Interest refers to other people and
their behavior, and it often has an
emotional component (oddness, suspense, etc.)
 When farmer Brown grows the world’s largest
pumpkin, that story has human interest
because everyone looks at the pumpkin and
says, “Wow!”
 When the fireman rescues the kitten
from a tree, that story has human interest
because everyone says, “Oh, how sweet!”
6. Conflict:
 Conflict involves tension, surprise, and
suspense. Is there a conflict dealing with
interesting persons, situations, or emotions?
 Conflict is the most necessary element

in “front page news.”

 Conflict includes natural

disasters, sports competitions,

murder, war, etc.
Generating News Stories:

 Brainstorming is a fast method of getting a

lot of solutions, ideas, or alternatives for
action in short amount of staff time.
 Brainstorming works with large groups or
two or three individuals.
 Brainstorming can be used to discuss
stories, ads, layouts, photos, etc.
Generating News Stories:

 Brainstorming includes these steps:

 Designate a leader to record ideas and ask
questions.
 Write down all ideas without explanations.
 Reject no ideas. Criticize no ideas.
 State each idea briefly.
 No idea is a bad one.
 Prioritize ideas at the end.
Generating News Stories:

 Brainstorming has the following

advantages:
1. Participation of every member on an equal
basis.
2. No one dominates the process.
3. A large number of ideas are generated quickly.
4. Time is saved for other important things – like
writing stories.
Generating News Stories:
 Many topics are suitable topics for
brainstorming :
1. Ideas for editorials.
2. Ideas for in-depth stories.
3. Ideas for columns and cartoons.
4. Sources for advertisements.
5. Items to include in a survey.
6. Methods for increasing readership.
7. Ideas for photo essays.

What other topics could you add to this list?

Generating News Stories:

It is a reporter’s job
to evaluate events
and select those that will
inform,
educate,
or entertain readers.
Generating News Stories:
Localization: the writing of a
regional, national, or even
international story to bring
out the local angle.

Localization is a necessary part of scholastic

journalism. Think of ways a high school journalist
could localize events like the war in Iraq, national
elections, etc.
Information obtained from polls:
Obtaining real information vs. anecdotes.

Any survey must poll at least 50 people or

10 percent of the universe (whichever is
larger) to be considered reliable.
If Beulah has 300 high school students, 10 percent would be
30 students…so a poll would need to use the 50 people
rule to be reliable. This is the sample size.
Information obtained from polls:
Random sample or Representative sample

KEY: In order for a poll or survey to have a

statistically high chance of representing not just
those surveyed, but the population at large, every
member of a group to be surveyed must have an
equal possibility of being included in the survey
sample. This is called a RANDOM SAMPLE.
Random Sample reliability:
When correctly administered,
the result of a random sample
will be obtained with a
95 percent confidence level.

(In 95 of 100 cases…the responses will be the

same as the total population.)

Sample sizes -- how many to survey.

The Universe:
Universe – group to be studied

In a Random Sample everyone in the universe

should have an equal chance to be in the
sample.

The bigger the sample, the more trustworthy

the results (usually).
Representative Sample:

A Representative Sample must be drawn

upon with the population’s overall
characteristics in mind. Consider the
percentage sizes of the groups within the
population.
Representative Sample Example:

A Representative Sample of
students at BHS needs to
consider the four grade levels within
the entire student body.
Representative Sample Example:
Example: Pretend BHS has 100 students --
30 seniors 10 sophomores
10 juniors 50 freshmen

Then, 30 percent of the people polled would need

to be seniors, 10 percent would need to be
sophomores, 10 percent would need to be juniors,
and 50 percent would need to be freshmen to
create a reliable survey.
Representative Sample Example:
Example: In this same example, at least 50
people would need to be surveyed to make
the survey reliable.
Therefore, the smallest number of students
that could be surveyed would be
15 seniors 5 sophomores
5 juniors 25 freshmen
In this case, why not survey everyone?
Terms for dealing with the statistics of
polls or surveys:
 The mean is the average of a set of numbers.
50 + 75 + 100 = 225 225 ÷ 3 = 75 (the mean)
 The median is the number in the middle of a set
of numbers.
In the series 1,2,3,4,5,6, and 7…the median is 4.
 The mode is the most frequently occurring
number in a series of numbers.
25 As (100) 50 Bs (90) 100 Cs (83)
The mode is C, a score of 83.
Formulating Survey Questions:
 Survey questions should be

 Short
 Simple – Ask only one question!
Do not use “and.”
 Clear – Do not be ambiguous!
Filter Question:
 A filter question is

 posed at the beginning of a survey

 designed to eliminate those
people who don’t belong in the
“universe.”
Filter Question:
 Example:

 In a survey to determine the favorite

lunchroom meal of BHS students, first
eliminate those who do not eat at BHS
with the following filter question.

Do you eat lunch in the BHS lunchroom?

Survey Questions:

 Ask the right people the right questions.

 Ask the questions in the right way;
don’t stack the deck to get an answer that
is a preconceived notion of what you think
the answer should be!

Example of a POOR question:

When did you last beat your dog?
Publishing Polls:

 Timeliness – Publish results in a timely

manner.
 Conclusions – Draw the right conclusions.
 Correctly evaluate the information that the
survey results reveal.
 Stay in the universe! Paint with the right
brush (not with too broad of a brush).
Graphs and Charts:
 Graphs and Charts are a way to represent polls.
 Graphs are pictures that help us understand
amounts. These amounts are called data. A
variety of graphs exist and are used for a variety
of purposes:
 A circle graph
 A bar graph
 A picture graph
 A histogram
 A line graph
www.beaconlearningcenter.com
Graphs and Charts:
 “A circle graph is shaped like a circle. It is
divided into fractions that look like pieces of pie,
so sometimes a circle graph is called a pie graph.
Many times the fractional parts are different
colors and a key explains the colors.”
(www.beaconlearningcenter.com,
6/30/08)
Graphs and Charts:
 “A bar graph uses bars to show data. The bars
can be vertical (up and down), or horizontal
(across). The data can be in words or numbers.”
(www.beaconlearningcenter.com,
6/30/08)
Graphs and Charts:
 “A picture graph uses pictures or symbols to
show data. One picture often stands for more than
one vote so a key is necessary to understand the
symbols.”
(www.beaconlearningcenter.com,
6/30/08)
Graphs and Charts:
 “A histogram is a special kind of bar
graph. The data must be shown as
numbers in order.”

(www.beaconlearningcenter.com, 6/30/08)
Graphs and Charts:
 A line graph shows points plotted on a graph.
The points are then connected to form a line.
(www.beaconlearningcenter.com,
6/30/08)
Career Profile:
 Executive Editor Gilbert Bailon
 The newspaper’s most important role is that of a

“watchdog.” This means that a newspaper should

hold those “in power” to a high level of
“accountability.”
 Example: The local newspaper should report on the
activities of local government (city council, school board,
etc.) to let the public know if any irresponsible, unethical or
illegal activities take place.
 Bailon says the best advice for journalists is to
“master the English language.”
Review of Chapter Terms:
 News judgment
 Advance
 Timeliness
 Proximity
 Prominence
 Consequence
 Localization
 Human-interest story
 Conflict
 Brainstorming
 Random sample vs. Representative sample
 Filter question
 Additional terms to know:
 Mean, median, mode
 USA Today
 Sample size, universe
 Good taste, community standards, cull, watchdog