In a society where news is constantly breaking and where legitimate and dubious sources can be found on every platform, it’s important to have a strategy for keeping up. Here are some ways to assess your needs and find the best sources.
A strong news story is one that has all of the following elements: Exclusivity: a sense of being unique or first to report an event; a degree of drama or suspense; a dramatic or interesting angle; a sense of ‘breaking’ the news; and the ability to capture attention with arresting photographs, video and/or sound. Shareability: stories that are thought likely to generate sharing and comments on social media.
Impact: a sense of being significant or important; a ‘big’ story, like a major accident, a natural disaster or a war. Familiarity: a feeling of closeness and connection to the story; for example, if the story is about someone the reader knows it makes the story more personal.
Bad news: stories with negative overtones, including controversies, splits, arguments, battles and defeats. This includes crime, but also failures and setbacks such as losing a job or not making the grade.
Celebrities and the wealthy: people in the public eye make the news because of their fame or wealth; they are interesting in their own right but become even more so when they fall from grace, are injured or involved in a scandal. Health: all societies are interested in how they can stay healthy, so stories about traditional remedies, medical research and diseases make the news. Sex: all societies are interested in sex, but it becomes newsworthy when the behaviour is out of the ordinary or goes against the moral codes of the day.