News Values & News Writing – Lecture 7 Study Notes

News Values (Lecture 7 – COM1106 Intro to Journalism)

1. Immediacy / Timeliness

  • Core idea: “News = NEW.” Audiences expect the freshest information; yesterday’s update is quickly discarded.
  • Practical implications
    • Report breaking news and latest updates as they unfold.
    • Offer new perspectives on ongoing stories to preserve freshness.
  • Criteria
    • Timing must be prompt (publish ASAP after verification).
    • Content must not be previously covered, or must reflect newly‐occurred changes.
  • Ethical note: Balancing speed with accuracy—rush to publish must not compromise fact‐checking.

2. Importance

  • A story should touch the significant interests or immediate lives of the general population.
  • Test question used in class: “Is a power outage news?” ⇒ Depends on scale and who is affected.
  • Ethical relevance: Editors must judge what genuinely matters to the public—not merely what garners clicks.

3. Proximity / Closeness

  • Dual meaning
    • Geographical proximity: How near is the event to the readers? E.g. A minor Paris plane crash = bigger story in France than a large U.S. crash.
    • Psychological proximity: Emotional, cultural, or social closeness.
  • “Attention Factor”: Audience attention rises with perceived closeness.
  • Rule of thumb: “Stories that happen near us carry higher news value.”

4. Impact / Significance

  • Key metric: Number of people affected. Wider implications ⇒ higher significance.
  • Example scale:
    • \text{Crash killing hundreds} > \text{Crash killing dozens}
    • Global events: MH370,\; MH17,\; \text{tsunami, earthquake, Covid-19}
  • Practical use: Calculate potential audience affected to justify placement and length of coverage.

5. Prominence

  • Recognition of the individuals/places elevates newsworthiness.
  • “Prominence formula” (memorize):
    Celebrity + Ordinary\,Event = News
    Ordinary\,Person + Unusual\,Event = News
    Celebrity + Unusual\,Event = Major\,News
    Ordinary\,Person + Ordinary\,Event \neq News
  • Case referenced: Coco Lee (1975–2023)—death noteworthy due to celebrity status.

6. Funny / Interesting Events

  • Not all news is grave; light/fun stories maintain audience engagement.
  • Example headline: “Amazing Dog Can Sing.”
  • Psychological value: Provides relief, fosters curiosity, portrays life’s quirks.

7. Novelty / Unusualness

  • “Out-of-the-ordinary” factor.
  • Comparison hierarchy:
    • Birth of twins → common.
    • Birth of triplets → mildly notable.
    • Birth of nine babies → highly novel ⇒ headline.
  • Closely tied to audiences’ thirst for the extraordinary.

8. Emotions / Human Interest

  • Often override other news values (time, scale, proximity).
  • Goals: Evoke amusement, empathy, sadness, inspiration.
  • Placement practices:
    • TV newscasts end with a “feel-good” or quirky item.
    • Newspapers dedicate columns/sidebars for human-interest or offbeat pieces.
  • Sociological insight: Humans are inherently curious about other humans, especially role models/celebrities.

9. Conflict

  • “Everyone loves a fight.”
  • Ubiquitous in
    • Sports (team rivalries).
    • Politics (party clashes).
    • Interpersonal features (family, workplace drama).
    • Classic storytelling themes: \text{Human vs. Human},\; \text{Human vs. Nature},\; \text{Human vs. Machine}
  • Practical angle: Conflict drives narrative tension and reader retention.

Composite Nature of News Values

  • Rarely isolated; a single story may contain multiple values.
    • Example: Celebrity divorce (Prominence + Conflict + Human Interest).
  • Angle selection: Journalists can retell the same facts emphasizing different values to fit audience or platform.

Classic Maxims & Examples

  • “When dog bites man, it’s not news; when man bites dog, that’s news.” (Illustrates Novelty / Unusualness.)
  • Discussion prompts posed in lecture:
    • “Can getting married be considered news?” (Depends on Prominence/Novelty.)
    • “Can the passing away of someone be considered news?” (Depends on Prominence, Impact, Emotional value.)

News Writing Fundamentals

Essential Building Blocks

  • Headline
  • Byline
  • Placeline
  • Lead
  • Quotes

Step-by-Step Writing Workflow

  1. Gather Key Information (5W1H + organizer/participant interview)
    • What (event)
    • Who (organizer/attendees)
    • When (date, time)
    • Where (location)
    • Why (purpose/significance)
    • How (key moments)
  2. Write the Headline
    • Brief, clear, informative; must hook readers.
    • Example: “INTI Hosts Sustainability Week to Promote Eco-Friendly Practices.”
  3. Craft the Lead Paragraph
    • One sentence summarizing most crucial facts (Who, What, When, Where).
    • Model lead provided about Sustainability Week.
  4. Add Body Details
    • 1–2 short paragraphs expanding on Why it matters & How it unfolded.
    • Include statistics, attendee numbers, notable activities.
  5. Include a Quote
    • Adds credibility, voice, and human flavor.
    • Example: Prof. Laura Chen praising student initiative.
  6. Wrap Up
    • Close with next steps or broader significance.
    • Example: Pledge wall & plans to scale event.
  7. Review & Edit
    • Objective tone; 150–300 words target length.
    • Verify spelling, grammar, names, dates, and facts.

Model News Brief (Library Book Drive)

  • Headline: “INTI University Library Hosts Book Donation Drive for Local Schools.”
  • Byline: Samantha Siew.
  • Placeline: Penang.
  • Body highlights
    • Date span: May 31 – June 3.
    • Donations: 500+ books (textbooks, storybooks, references).
    • Quote: Student volunteer Lisa Tran stressing community impact.
    • Follow-up: Books to be delivered to three primary schools; aim to repeat each semester.

Practical Assignment

  • Event to cover: “Fun Fair to Support Education for Underprivileged Children.”
  • Venue: Level 5, INTI.
  • Students should apply entire 7-step workflow and embed relevant news values (e.g., Human Interest, Impact, Conflict if fundraising targets not met, etc.).

Integrated Ethical & Professional Considerations

  • Speed vs. Accuracy: Immediacy must never overrule verification.
  • Balancing Clickability with Substance: Novelty and Funny stories attract attention but should not overshadow Important/Impactful issues.
  • Angle Responsibility: Choosing which news value to foreground can shape public perception; be mindful of bias.

Quick Reference Formulas & Numbers

  • Prominence equations (see Section 5).
  • Conflict categories: {Human–Human,\; Human–Nature,\; Human–Machine}.
  • Target article length: 150–300 words.
  • Example drive stats: 500 books, 3 schools, May 31–Jun 3 timeframe.