NEWS VALUES

News reporting involves decision-making on the part of reports, editors, and various gatekeepers who are part of the information process. How do they know when a news story will be worthwhile to their readers, viewers, listeners? How do they select the most significant and satisfying stories from the many possible stories available to them on any given day?

Consider this as you complete the following lessons below:

WATCH: Newsworthy and T.R.U.T.H.

What makes a story newsworthy? Paul Brennan of Media First LTD uses something called the TRUTH test to determine whether a story is newsworthy. Click the WATCH NOW button below to check it out!

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WATCH: Beat the Press

Media outlets everywhere picked up a viral video of a neighborhood dispute -- was it newsworthy? Click the WATCH NOW button below to view the discussion with GBH news.

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WATCH: Headlines that Matter

How many of today's headlines will matter in 100 years? 1000? Kirk Citron's "Long News" project collects stories that not only matter today, but will resonate for decades -- even centuries -- to come. Click the WATCH NOW button to check it out.

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WATCH: Trust in Journalism

Journalism is a noble calling and the credibility of the profession is at stake. Today, there is weaponization of information and it is dividing us. Click the WATCH NOW button to view a TEDx talk by American journalist Ann Curry.

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READ: Chapter #3

Read Chapter #3 - Crafting Leads and Observing Style in your MediaWriting textbook - specifically pages 60 to 70 and focus on the elements of newsworthiness and value.

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QUIZ: News Values and Leads

After completing the assignments outlined above, click the TAKE QUIZ button to answer some questions around News Values, Headlines and Leads.

TAKE QUIZ