What Is Newsworthy?

News is current information about events that have happened or will happen in the future. This information is usually delivered through word of mouth, printing, postal systems, broadcasting or the Internet. News can be hard or soft, depending on the nature of the story and the audience to whom it is being delivered.

Generally speaking, in order for something to be considered newsworthy it must be new, unusual, interesting, significant and about people. In addition, it should be easily accessible to a wide audience. Hence, stories that involve celebrities or people with special privileges tend to get more attention than those that are commonplace or ordinary. This is because it’s harder to keep an interest in a story about missing the bus on your way to work, than it is to follow the fate of a litter of abandoned baby tigers on their journey to a shelter.

Another criterion for what is considered to be newsworthy is the level of drama involved in the event. For example, a robbery at a convenience store is much more likely to make the news than a traffic accident that occurs on the same road. It also helps if the event has clearly identifiable good and bad characters.

The decision as to what will be included in a newspaper, television or radio newscast or posted on the Internet is made by a group of people that are called editors, news directors or even journalists. They sift through recommendations from reporters and assistant editors and ultimately decide what is newsworthy.