The main objective of this article is to examine the evolution of the concept of news value in mainstream journalism, and the extent to which this concept has changed over time. We will start with an updated taxonomy of news values developed by Harcup and O’Neill (2001), and then examine the changes made by various mainstream news outlets.
Current events
A current events summary is a short review of a recent news story. To write a current events summary, you need to find a news story that is interesting to you and that you would like to write about. First, read the entire news story and make note of the most important facts, dates, and reasons it happened. Once you have all of these facts, write a short summary of the story with some extra details.
Interest group figures
According to a study, a majority of news coverage goes to a few prominent interest groups. The study looked at fourteen major newspapers, two news magazines, and the top three television networks to see how frequently an interest group appears in news stories. The Sierra Club topped the list of most-covered interest groups in four policy areas – environmental issues, national security, foreign policy, and civil rights – and received 40 percent of all coverage. Other prominent interest groups included the Council on Foreign Relations and the Christian Coalition of America.
Extreme behaviours
The media often depicts extreme behaviours and incidents. Such events can have a powerful impact on our judgment and decision-making skills. Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as the “Availability Heuristic”. For example, in 2014, the news media was so disproportionately concerned with the Ebola outbreak that many people panicked. In such a situation, we can be more susceptible to emotional responses such as anger.
Celebrity
If you are interested in celebrity news, there are plenty of publications you can subscribe to. One of the most popular is TMZ. This magazine, which has been in business for decades, shares exclusive interviews and features on famous faces. The website was the first to publish news about Michael Jackson’s death, Mel Gibson’s drunken driving incident, and Rihanna’s police photos. Its rapid-fire reporting style and focus on breaking stories has revolutionized the way celebrity news is reported.
Exclusivity
Exclusivity in news is an important issue for news organizations and publishers. It can be lucrative, but it also comes with risks. A story must be compelling enough to warrant exclusivity, or else it may not be worth the risk. Moreover, exclusivity in news also prevents other news outlets from running the story.
Shareability
The shareability of news is an important measure of the impact a news story has on readers. It can be calculated by examining the headline and key elements of a news story. Shareable stories have a strong emotional element, are easily understood, and can be easily shared. Newsrooms should use analytics to create shareable stories.