How News Values Explain News Selection and Treatment
News is a report that gives information about recent events. It is a source of entertainment and helps people become aware of what is happening around them. In addition, news is also a form of advertising. Therefore, it should be accurate and interesting. Moreover, a good story should have a positive overtone.
Since the advent of radio, television, and the Internet, news has been spread widely. People have learned about government policies, entertainment, and education through these mediums. Similarly, controversies and conflicts have generated interest. The rise of social media platforms, especially Twitter, has made it easier for audiences to recommend and share stories. These trends have also impacted news selection and distribution.
Many media critics have argued that news is based on market research. They believe that the news media has to deliver news based on what consumers want to hear. However, the truth is that the media has to tell the real news. Even if news is delivered by a biased journalist, it still is news. Moreover, news is the first rough draft of history.
According to a scholarly study, news values can help explain news selection and treatment. In a nutshell, news values are those factors that journalists consider before making a choice. Some of these values include relevance, magnitude, surprise, and exclusivity.
Relevance, magnitude, and surprise are considered to be the three most important news values. Generally, relevance is the notion that the story is relevant to the audience. Likewise, magnitude means that the story is a big deal. On the other hand, surprise is the element of surprise. Despite the contrasting definitions, these values are equally important.
Objectivity and fairness are other values that journalists look for in a news. Generally, they aim to make the news impartial and credible. Additionally, a journalist must access both sides of the story before making a final decision.
Although news values can explain some aspects of news selection and treatment, they do not address the broader content of the news media. In other words, models of news making cannot account for the content of online and print media. Instead, future research should explore how social media and the news media have impacted one another.
For example, the Internet can be a major news propagation channel during a government crackdown. During such times, citizens can engage in social media and get a clear idea of what is going on. This makes it more difficult for the government to shut down news outlets, which leads to a surge of citizen journalism.
Another common topic for news reports is war. A great loss of life can produce a high impact on readers. Besides, people take an interest in confrontation among nations and people. Thus, news related to war is more newsworthy.
Some news stories are even entertaining, involving humorous treatment or entertaining photographs. Other types of news stories involve human interest and showbusiness. There are even news stories about animals.
If you are interested in learning more about news and its values, you may want to browse through a news manual. Most of them are available on the Web.