• "What's news is what people decide!"
• News is created/interpreted.
• News is rhetoric/persuasion as well as information

1. timeliness [novel or deviant]
2. prominence
3. significant consequence
4. proximity
5. human interest [personalized - about people - accessible ]
   1. e.g. talking head interview on economy and disagreements of economists
   2. focus on personalities and motives
   3. flamboyance over substance
6. [ actual/concrete not theoretical] 

1. visual quality
2. [drama - conflict, emotion, controversy, violence]
3. [access]
4. comprehensibility
5. fits known interpretation [ linked to issues of on-going concern to media] THEMES: (p. 39)
   1. appearance v reality
   2. little guys v bug guys
   3. good vs evil
      1. self-serving establishment
      2. environment and other "good" causes
      3. war v peace efforts
      4. family vcalues, children, motherhood 
   4. efficiency v inefficiency 
   5. unique v routine

EXTERNAL

1. [Access]
2. News hole (column inches; 23 of 30 minutes) [time and space]
3. News flow (silly season)
4. staffing [cost]

INTERNAL

5. perceptions of audience - Review Atlas v NYT
6. [use available material] (see access above)
7. competition - "pack journalism" or "consensible nature of the news"
8. [cover visual events and newsworthy people
9. [avoid giving offense]
0. executive decisions ( publisher's interests)
1. advertiser pressure
2. source pressure ( tearful family, politicians, photo ops, staged events, rewards to "good" reporters)

1. [reporter expertise] -- they use interviews rather than the library
2. [fairness and balance]
3. [story length] - news hole
4. [structure of story ]
   1. narrative
   2. problem - solution
   3. climax
5. [objectivity]

last updated 4/5/2001