Comm455/History of Journalism

What’s the latest scoop?!

Big story reporting is what the media has always aimed for. Aside from sensationalized stories about anything and everything people would be interested in, the biggest stories always get the front page and the most attention. Presidential elections — like the one we are presently witnessing — are a huge deal for the United States and will absolutely always be given a spot on the front pages of newspapers the most time on television broadcasts.

In fact, we care so much about the principles of democracy that we publicize other nations’ elections. Venezuela recently voted for a new leader this Sunday, making the top story on The Washington Post‘s world news webpage.

Reporting on big stories like this do get most of the attention, but what about the dangerous stories? Reporting on wars like the War in Afghanistan and, more timely, the violent protests in Libya can lead to some dangers for reporters. Taking their lives into their own hands at times, war reporters are able to report on violent events up close. It’s stories like these that capture the world’s attention.

What is Newsworthy:

• Impact
• Emotional Appeal
• Conflict
• Timeliness
• Proximity
• Prominence
• The unusual