We are studying the traditional news values. Nine criteria seem to be the expected elements that influence news reporters and editors to cover and include stories in a newspaper or broadcast.
Using the Charleston Post and Courier newspaper from Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019 I have identified a story or two that fulfills each criteria from the news value checklist. And each report is also identified by its types of story.
President Trump delivered his State of the Union address last night. He covered many topics of national interest and spoke of new initiatives that may have impact on Americans in various way.
This types of news story that this speech could be categorized in would be government and politics.
There is traditionally a response after the State of the Union address by a member of the other political party.
Recent Georgia candidate for governor Stacey Abrams expressed opposition to some of what President Trump said, indicating the ongoing conflict between Democrats and Republicans at the national level (and elsewhere).
The story type is also politics and government.
Controversy
This "landfill stench" piece on the front page is certainly a controversy story.
The story category types would be health and environment.
The actor Liam Neeson got himself in hot water over some racial comments recently made.
His prominence as a leading Hollywood figure attracts ongoing media and public interest and scrutiny.
The type of story would be entertainment.
Timeliness
This business story is timely today in reporting advances on Wall Street S&P trading for the fifth day in a row.
Proximity
A report today about a 2020 presidential candidate coming to South Carolina soon fits the proximity news characteristic.
This is also a political story.
Novelty/Uniqueness
San Francisco very rarely (if ever?) experiences snow fall, so the chance it may happen fits the novely/uniqueness news trait.
This would be a weather category story.
Human Interest
Wednesday's Post and Courier always has a Food section. This complements the grocery store circulars that always come in Wednesday's paper.
I guess people shop a lot on Wednesdays???
The food section to me is always a good read. A recurring feature is "Daily Digest" which has a photo of a local resident and recounts what he or she ate on a given day.
People are interested in the behavior and appetites of other people so I think that is why this is used.
Also in today's food section is a feature story about how to make soup from leftovers. This is a good DIY feature story.
Prominence, Novelty, Controversy
Many of the above stories fulfill multiples news characteristics, as does this one.
President Trump's daughter Ivanka is a prominent figure today and she is the target of a unique, unusual and controversial art exhibit.
The story category this would fall into would be art and entertainment but also, in today's environment, politics.
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