There are many different definitions of what makes news, even among journalism professionals. These frameworks can lead to quite divergent ideas of what should or shouldn’t go into a given newspaper or newscast, much less out on the front page or at the top of the hour. The expectations can definitely shape the voice and tone that emerges.
The one standard I’ve come to rely on came to me via my mentor, Steve Kent, from his days in Albany, New York. There, a story was judged on four measures: whether it’s accurate, informative, entertaining, and useful.
Accuracy, of course, would include fairness. Informative would likewise include being new, something not widely yet known. Entertaining would often mean well written rather than amusing, at least for most serious events. And useful keeps the readership’s needs in mind.
Try it yourself, next time you’re opening the pages or tuning in to the newscast.
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