ELEMENTS OF NEWS

What is News? We cannot say we have one definition of news, as people from different society define news differently based on their way of life and culture. People from different parts of the world look at events differently therefore they will automatically define news based on their interest, way of life and upbringing. The following are definitions of news: News is an accurate timely report of an account that is relevant to the target audience. News is something the editor does not know. News is what my government says is news. News is facts or opinion of interest or importance.
News can be disseminated through print, online or broadcast media. For news to be taken seriously it must have the following elements or values.

News values or Elements of news

Impact: The significance, importance, or consequence of an event or trend; the greater the consequence, and the larger the number of people for whom an event is important the greater the newsworthiness.

Timeliness: The more recent, the more newsworthy. In some cases, timeliness is relative. An event may have occurred in the past but only have been learned about recently.

Relevance: The event must be of greatest important to the audience for them to take an interest.

Prominence: Occurrences featuring well-know individuals or institutions are newsworthy. Being well known may spring either from the power the person or institution possess – the president or from celebrity

Proximity: Closeness of the occurrence to the audience may be gauged either geographically – close by events, all other things being equal, are more important than distant ones – or in terms of the assumed values, interest and expectations of the news audience.

The Bizarre/oddity: The unusual, unorthodox, or unexpected attracts attention.

Conflict: Controversy and open clashes are newsworthy, inviting attention on their own, almost regardless of what the conflict is over. Conflict reveals underlying causes of disagreement between individuals and institutions in a society.

Currency: Occasionally something becomes an idea whose time has come. The matter assumes a life of its own and for a time assumes momentum in news reportage.

Human Interest: Those stories that have more of an entertainment factor versus any of the above - not that some of the other news values cannot have an entertainment value.

Drama: Dramatical occurrences do insert news pegs in events. Eg a conference that was going on diplomatically may not make news until one participant decides to shout and throw chairs at the speaker.

 Consequence:  Does the subject of the story you are telling have an impact on people’s lives?

 Negativity: something bad often makes news than a good occurrence.