Concept and News value of TV news

Introduction

News can be defined as "Newsworthy information about recent events or happenings, especially
as reported by news media". But what makes news newsworthy?

News values, sometimes called news criteria, determine how much prominence a news story is
given by a media outlet, and the attention it is given by the audience.

The following are the elements of news which enhance the news value are-

Proximity: Location, location, location. If an event is happening nearby, it will impact readers
more than if it were happening somewhere else that doesn't affect them as much – in another
state or in another country. Depending on the story, it may as well be the same thing.

2. Prominence: A well-known person, place or event has a stronger news angle than something
that the audience isn’t familiar with. A guest speaker visiting your local elementary school to
take over story time doesn't resonate with many people ... unless that speaker is Johnny Depp.

3. Timeliness: Current news has more impact than something that happened yesterday or last
week. The news media loses interest in past events because there is always fresh news
somewhere.

4. Oddity: If something is unusual, shocking or bizarre, the strangeness alone could make it
newsworthy.

5. Consequence: If the impact of an event may directly affect readers, they will want to know
about it.

6. Conflict: Readers are always interested in disagreements, arguments and rivalries. If an event
has a conflict attached to it, many readers will be interested on that basis alone. Let's not forget
that it's human nature to choose sides and stand up for that choice. Stories that involve conflict
include those about religion, sports, business, trials, wars, human rights violations, politics or
even struggles against nature, animals or outer space.

7. Human interest: If a situation draws any sort of emotional reaction, then it might contain the
news element of a human-interest story. These stories can be "soft" kid-at-the-petting-zoo
snapshots, inspiring comeback accounts or infuriating reports of incompetence on the part of a
public figure.

8. Extremes/superlatives: Reporters and audiences alike love to hear about the first, the best,
the longest, the smallest, the highest. If you can claim one for yourself, do it.
9. Scandal: Everyone loves to hate on the philandering congressman who sends inappropriate
pictures under an absurd virtual handle. If you've got info on an honest-to-goodness scandal,
reporters everywhere are frothing at the mouth to get the scoop on it.

10. Impact: How many people are affected? How seriously are they affected?Whether it's a
peaceful protest that encompasses five city blocks or a 23-car pileup on the pike, the more
people involved in the event, the more newsworthy it is. Similarly, the number of people
affected by the event will affect its newsworthiness, whether it's an adjustment of minimum
wage or an alleged outbreak of ebola.

11.Progress

It involves any significant change for the betterment of humanity. It may also refer to an
achievement in the laboratory, industry or a legislative body etc.

What's the Angle (News Bias)?

Each news story is reported from a particular angle or slant. This may be one of the news values
listed above, or it may be political or personal, depending on the journalist's (or the publication
they work for's) beliefs.

The main ways in which to influence a news story are;

 Selection/omission
 Placement
 Headline
 Photo, Caption, Camera Angles
 Names & Titles (ie how you describe a person)
 Statistics
 Use of source
 Tone, or mode of address

Sum up-

A number of factors modify the importance of news elements in actual practice; the policy of a
news medium may increase or decrease the importance of a story. The class of readers,
listeners and viewers that dominate the audience of a paper, radio or television determines
largely what is going to be presented. The amount of space available to a paper or the amount
of time available on radio or television determines whether a story is to be told briefly or in
detail. Time often alters the value of a story and finally the previous presentation of a story, on
any medium, changes its value.