7.2 News Values and Selection

News values shape what stories we see and how they're presented. Journalists use criteria like timeliness, impact, and prominence to decide what's newsworthy. These choices affect which events and issues grab our attention and shape public discourse.

Gatekeeping in news selection further filters information flow. Editors and reporters act as gatekeepers, choosing stories based on professional judgment and organizational values. This process can lead to biases, potentially overemphasizing certain perspectives while overlooking others.

News Values and Selection

Concept of news values

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• Criteria used by journalists and media organizations to determine the newsworthiness of a story
• Guide the selection process, helping journalists decide which stories to cover and prioritize
• Influence the prominence and placement of stories within a news broadcast or publication
  • Stories that align with multiple news values are more likely to be featured prominently (front page, top of the broadcast)
  • Stories with fewer news values may receive less coverage or be omitted altogether
• Application of news values can vary across different media outlets and platforms (newspapers, television, online news sites)
  • Individual journalists and editors may interpret and prioritize news values differently based on their own judgment and the outlet's editorial stance

Criteria for newsworthiness

• Timeliness refers to the currency and immediacy of a story
  • Breaking news and recent events are often prioritized due to their timeliness (election results, natural disasters)
  • Stories that are no longer current may lose their newsworthiness over time
• Proximity relates to the geographical and cultural closeness of a story to the audience
  • Local news outlets tend to prioritize stories that directly impact their community (city council meetings, local festivals)
  • Stories from distant locations may be considered less newsworthy unless they have a significant impact or relevance (international conflicts, global pandemics)
• Impact refers to the scale and significance of a story's consequences
  • Stories with widespread or severe consequences are more likely to be considered newsworthy (economic recessions, public health crises)
  • Impact can be measured in terms of the number of people affected or the severity of the consequences (fatalities, financial losses)
• Prominence involves the notability and fame of the individuals or organizations involved in a story
  • Stories featuring well-known public figures, celebrities, or influential institutions tend to be prioritized (politicians, actors, major corporations)
  • Actions and statements of prominent individuals are often deemed newsworthy (policy announcements, scandals)
• Human interest stories appeal to emotions and provide a relatable or compelling narrative
  • These stories often feature ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances or highlight inspiring or heartwarming events (acts of heroism, personal triumphs)
  • Human interest stories can add variety and engage audiences on a personal level (human-animal bonds, community initiatives)

Gatekeeping in news selection

• Gatekeeping refers to the process by which journalists and editors control the flow of information to the public
  • They decide which stories to cover, how to frame them, and how much prominence to give them
• Gatekeepers act as filters, selecting and shaping the news based on their professional judgment and organizational values
  • They may prioritize stories that align with their media outlet's editorial stance or target audience preferences (political leanings, demographic focus)
• Gatekeeping process can have significant implications for public discourse and opinion formation
  • Stories that are selected and emphasized can influence public perceptions and understanding of events and issues (agenda-setting, framing)
  • Omission or downplaying of certain stories can lead to gaps in public awareness and debate (underreported issues, marginalized perspectives)
• Gatekeeping decisions can be influenced by various factors
  • Commercial pressures (advertisers' preferences, market competition)
  • Political considerations (government influence, self-censorship)
  • Resource constraints (limited staff, budget restrictions)
  • These factors can potentially lead to biases and limitations in the representation of diverse perspectives

Biases in news values

• News values can lead to the overrepresentation of certain types of stories and perspectives
  • Sensational or dramatic stories may receive disproportionate coverage compared to more complex or nuanced issues (crime, scandals)
  • Emphasis on timeliness and impact may lead to the neglect of slow-burning or long-term stories (environmental degradation, social inequalities)
• Reliance on prominence as a news value can result in the marginalization of underrepresented voices
  • Stories featuring marginalized communities or ordinary individuals may be overlooked in favor of those involving high-profile figures (celebrities, politicians)
• News values can perpetuate stereotypes and reinforce dominant narratives
  • Framing and selection of stories based on news values may contribute to the oversimplification or misrepresentation of certain groups or issues (racial stereotypes, gender roles)
• Pursuit of news values can lead to the homogenization of news content across different outlets
  • As media organizations compete for audiences and advertisers, they may prioritize similar types of stories, leading to a lack of diversity in perspectives and experiences (focus on sensationalism, neglect of underrepresented communities)
• Recognizing and critically examining the limitations of news values is crucial for promoting more inclusive and representative journalism
  • Journalists and media organizations should strive to broaden their range of news values and actively seek out diverse stories and voices (community-driven journalism, solutions-oriented reporting)