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Selecting stories to cover and publish in a news website or a company magazine published by the public relations team is a subjective process, more of an art form, write the authors of “Reporting for the Media.”
The characteristics of news varies to a degree from medium to medium, the authors write. Daily newspapers in their print product (because all newspapers publish online, too, and sometimes just digitally) emphasize events occurring in their community during the last 24 hours. The web product is more immediate. TV news is headlines – immediate but superficial. It emphasizes stories with strong visuals over stories that are complicated and difficult to illustrate.
News judgment is influenced by the size of the staff of the organization, be news or public relations. With a big staff, more stories across a wide range of topics can be done, especially those topics that need days, weeks or months of reporting before publication.
The Press-Enterprise in Riverside had hundreds of journalists covering two counties and ran hard and soft news – along with a vibrant web platform. But changes in ownership and the dramatic drop in subscriptions slashed the newsroom. Now the P.E. just covers breaking news.
News judgment is influenced by the audience and geographic area they cover. Many keep the geographic area narrow to retain local emphasis. See:
And then came the Internet
And then came the Internet
Before the internet, the news media comprising newspapers and television played gate keepers. They decided what made the news and how long it would be covered. The news cycle was 24 hours at the most. But the internet and social media now shape what makes news, how long it will play out and how it will play. The news cycle is no longer 24 hours. It is now minute by minute.
Remember those six qualities of news? Now there appears to be a seventh. A video of some event or activity goes viral. What is meant by something going viral on the web or social media? There is no definition. But news media, especially TV, will use the phrase “it went viral” to justify giving it coverage. That is the new way of saying, “Everybody is talking about it.” Well, they still do. But the point is that the value of the news is whether it is trending on the web or social media.
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