News values relates to how important or valuable a news story is. It is the degree of prominence a media outlet gives to a story and the attention that is paid by an audience as a result. We select stories based on how popular they will be with the public. Things like celebrities, local stories and follow ups are considered popular news. Firstly, you want to make an impact. You want to make a reader say 'gee whiz'! Secondly, there is audience identification. News is anything that's interesting, that relates to what's happening in the world, what's happening in areas of the culture that would be of interest to your audience. Then there are pragmatics - ethics, facticity, current affairs etc. Source influence comes next. Journalism loves to hate PR...whether for spinning, controlling access, approving copy or protecting clients at the expense of the truth (Julia Hobsbawm).
It is also important to point out that news values differ substantially across different news services and also across different cultures and countries. People want to hear about news that affects them. The people of Brisbane don't want to know if it's going to be a scorching hot weekend in Sydney, they want to know what the weather will be like where they live! A good journalist will always keep news values at the forefront when writing a story to make sure they are engaging their target audience and providing relevant information. People who want to find out about things going on in different parts of the world may just have to search a little bit harder that the 6pm bulletin to find what they're looking for.
Lily x
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