The Value of News
Having news can be useful for many different purposes. It can help people learn more about their neighborhoods and government policies. But it can also influence the public in negative ways.
Typically, the news is reported moments after an event happens. It is a form of knowledge, though a journalist must provide information that is fair and objective.
The press services can provide insight into events that a scholarly source may not. They can also help to provide a sense of the prevailing attitudes around the time of an event. The value of the news depends on the situation. The most important information is placed first.
A journalist asks people what is going on in their neighborhoods. They then determine what facts to emphasize in the story. They also check the news for objectivity and fairness.
Some news sources are better than others for historical or breaking news. Others are good for aggregated news.
There are many theories that attempt to explain the values of news. Some, such as the Political Model, outlines how news represents different political pressures. Others, such as the Mirror Model, state that news should reflect reality.
Some scholars argue that news values vary from medium to medium. For example, a television news story could have a higher value than a newspaper story. Some theories can’t explain all news values.
Some of the values that are most important to journalists are the proximity of the event, the loss of life, the prominence of the person involved, and the number of people affected. These variables can help a journalist determine the impact of a news story on the audience.