What is "news"?

[SamG]

I've been thinking about this for a month or so and can't come up with a consistant answer.

So what must a story have in order to be considered "news" and worthy of a mention in a newscast (local or national)?

Is it what we think viewers need to know?
Is it what we think viewers want to know? (there is a difference)
Is it what affects the most people?
Is it just whatever we can get video/sound on to fill time?

Paris Hilton/Lindsey Lohan come to mind... viewers say they don't care but they're in newscasts somewhere.
Why is a robbery news?
Why is a fatal accident news? (much less one that's not fatal)

Has the definition of "news" changed since you started your career? How so?

Discuss

[The Mockingbird]

I live in a far suburb of Washington, D.C.

I can't think of even one good reason why I would ever watch local TV news, other than to laugh at the bad parody of itself that it's become.

Can you?

[Eeps Snorps Now]

Mockingbird, I think you speak for literally millions of Americans who watch us either by habit (mostly older viewers, who mostly want to ensure that their world and Social Security payments are still mostly intact) or just don't watch us at all anymore.

We created this problem, and only we can pull our way out of the basement and un-create it. We'll do that with quality reporting and well-presented stories that matter to their lives and generally to the community in which they live.

[Sultanosurf]

Sorry, but I disagree. We bring a lot to viewers on what impacts them locally besides just crime.
What do viewers want as news? Something that affects them, whether it's gas or dairy or even Starbucks prices. Crime that indicates trends in their neighborhoods. Policies and lawmakers that impact their lives. As for celebrity news, yeah it's salacious stuff we'd like to avoid, but how do you argue against an obvious viewer demand? Ratings for those who covered Anna Nicole went up.

When people say they just can't watch news for all the death and mayhem, I come back with what I heard somewhere years ago: Most people are good and love their families and neighbors -- that's why it's still news when we see the dark side. It's still the exception, not the rule.

[TVMattNYC]

Originally posted by Sultanosurf:
Ratings for those who covered Anna Nicole went up.No they didn't.

It's impossible to measure "ratings" for a given news STORY.

Anyone who asserts otherwise is bull$hitting you.

[ July 31, 2007, 02:46 PM: Message edited by: TVMattNYC ]

[ISTHISTHINGON?]

Originally posted by SamG:
I've been thinking about this for a month or so and can't come up with a consistant answer.

So what must a story have in order to be considered "news" and worthy of a mention in a newscast (local or national)?

Is it what we think viewers need to know?
Is it what we think viewers want to know? (there is a difference)
Is it what affects the most people?
Is it just whatever we can get video/sound on to fill time?

Paris Hilton/Lindsey Lohan come to mind... viewers say they don't care but they're in newscasts somewhere.
Why is a robbery news?
Why is a fatal accident news? (much less one that's not fatal)

Has the definition of "news" changed since you started your career? How so?

DiscussI think it should be a mixture. Definitely 'what affects the most people' should be a big one. Robberies? No unless it's a danger to a community(local obviously). Accidents? No, unless it caused a major problem with traffic or it's an area where deeper digging reveals a problem area.
As for filling time? If great storytelling were the norm....there would be no need to 'fill time'. Showing mug shots and fatal accidents and armed robberies routinely just depresses people. It rarely affects them, at least when I watch, I get nothing out of a string of mug shots and maps(gotta have that story count high, right? graemlins/eusa_doh.gif )

[Sultanosurf]

Well, Matt, if you've got some numbers other than the ones we saw during Anna Nicole, and that apparently prompted the cable nets to go wall-to-wall -- let's see 'em. And why not give up your qualifications on the thread topic while you're at it.

The 'mixture' answer above is a good one. I won't re-enter the old sports debate we had a while back, but I would venture that we should try for a balance of stories that affect the majority of viewers. And it's nice to share some positive stories when we can, too.

I'd add that a reporter from another station swimming at a news subject's house sure ain't more than a V/O, if that. Does the death of staffers, like producers at two networks recently, qualify?

[ July 31, 2007, 08:48 PM: Message edited by: Sultanosurf ]

[SamG]

Originally posted by ISTHISTHINGON?:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by SamG:
I've been thinking about this for a month or so and can't come up with a consistant answer.

So what must a story have in order to be considered "news" and worthy of a mention in a newscast (local or national)?

Is it what we think viewers need to know?
Is it what we think viewers want to know? (there is a difference)
Is it what affects the most people?
Is it just whatever we can get video/sound on to fill time?

Paris Hilton/Lindsey Lohan come to mind... viewers say they don't care but they're in newscasts somewhere.
Why is a robbery news?
Why is a fatal accident news? (much less one that's not fatal)

Has the definition of "news" changed since you started your career? How so?

DiscussI think it should be a mixture. Definitely 'what affects the most people' should be a big one. Robberies? No unless it's a danger to a community(local obviously). Accidents? No, unless it caused a major problem with traffic or it's an area where deeper digging reveals a problem area.
As for filling time? If great storytelling were the norm....there would be no need to 'fill time'. Showing mug shots and fatal accidents and armed robberies routinely just depresses people. It rarely affects them, at least when I watch, I get nothing out of a string of mug shots and maps(gotta have that story count high, right? graemlins/eusa_doh.gif )</font>[/QUOTE]I agree with you. But how did my station go from a "permanant" number two slot to the number one? By covering the robberies, the accidents, and showing the mug shots. But that brought in the ratings, so that's apparently what viewers "want".

[FD2BLK]

Whatever management says it is.

[ August 01, 2007, 04:13 AM: Message edited by: FD2BLK ]

[overthehill]

News is what I determine it to be on any given day. The definition slides from day to day and definitely on weekends.

Sometimes my view of news is affected by what my competition does; more often than not by what the newspaper prints each day; sometimes "news" is skewed by what complaining emails and callers want; sometimes by what my GM and consultant demand. "News" is also skewed by the newscast or show. What's "news" at 5, 6, 10/11 is different from what the morning news shows decide is news.

Also, the increasing demand for news, the need to supply more news to feed the growing news hole on cable, the Internet, our air, has caused us to "soften" our definition of news simply to meet the demand for more product.

I still believe that if you find something that engages your viewer, that actually touches the life of that viewer, you've succeeded in finding real "news."

[Rosenblum]

Be careful not to confuse News and the News Business. They are two different things.

The News Business is driven by ratings and so 'news' is what people will watch. This is by no means seat of the pants. Billions have been spent trying to figure this one out. Anna Nicole Smith? Lindsay Lohan? OJ Simpson? Car crashes? All pretty much the same thing.. and people watch for the same reason that they slow down and stare at a car crash on the interstate. Its human nature. Is there any news value in these stories? No. The only real news here is to those in the car crash.. and believe me, they already know all they need to know.

Now, on the real 'news' side, you can watch The Jim Lehrer Newshour. Pretty unwatchable most nights. It is not our human instinct to watch three people talk about foreign policy issues, but boy there is real information in there. But try selling commercial time against that one.

[News Is Broken]

Originally posted by TVMattNYC:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Sultanosurf:
Ratings for those who covered Anna Nicole went up.No they didn't.

It's impossible to measure "ratings" for a given news STORY.

Anyone who asserts otherwise is bull$hitting you.</font>[/QUOTE]I disagree. You certainly CAN measure ratings for an individual story - on the web.

It's an easy matter to go in and view statistics for which stories get the most hits on a station's website, in real time no less. And while it isn't VIEWER ratings, it certainly is a good barometer for what topics people would be more likely to stay tuned in to see. If you're smart, you'll pay close attention to these trends and tailor your newscast to match.

[Sultanosurf]

Well, at least according to Broadcasting & Cable:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6418407.html?display=Breaking+News

"Coverage of the death of former Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith in the week ending Feb. 11 sent ratings for syndicated magazine shows through the roof."

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6420743.html?industryid=47173

"February sweeps programming, Anna Nicole Smith and a patch of bad weather helped drive strong syndication ratings for the week ending February 18, the second full week of the February sweeps."

And Pew:
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/419/anna-nicole-audience-praises-press-coverage

"In fact, the press gets higher ratings for its coverage from the Smith audience than it does from the audiences of any of the top hard news stories of the week."

Granted, the two B&C reports above were on syndicated programs, but I remember seeing big numbers for nets and cable news channels as well. And the Pew report was actually an audience survey on quality of reporting.

Look, no true newsie is happy going salacious. But at some point, you have to respect stories where there's proof that viewers want 'em.

[Evanauto]

Originally posted by SamG:
I've been thinking about this for a month or so and can't come up with a consistant answer.

So what must a story have in order to be considered "news" and worthy of a mention in a newscast (local or national)?

Is it what we think viewers need to know?
Is it what we think viewers want to know? (there is a difference)
Is it what affects the most people?
Is it just whatever we can get video/sound on to fill time?

Paris Hilton/Lindsey Lohan come to mind... viewers say they don't care but they're in newscasts somewhere.
Why is a robbery news?
Why is a fatal accident news? (much less one that's not fatal)

Has the definition of "news" changed since you started your career? How so?

DiscussI was taking an advertising class in college (to fill credits and my time) when I read a quote that said:

"95% of all news is PR. The breaking news is news. The horrible cover-up is news. But 10 seconds after the news is done being news, its PR."

I wish i could remember who said that, but i've been at my job for a month and found its pretty true.

[kim jung il]

Pull.
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/korea/story/leader/kim.dae.jung/link.kim.jong.il.jpg
...If it tugs at You,
and You feel Compelled
that it is information
that must be shared if
only for the fact that
it's New. Excites the Heart,
Mind, or drives Emotion.
http://www.geocities.com/california_state_unfair2002/honey_bee1.gif

[ August 05, 2007, 03:37 AM: Message edited by: kim jung il ]

[TVMattNYC]

Originally posted by Sultanosurf:
Well, at least according to Broadcasting & Cable:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6418407.html?display=Breaking+News

"Coverage of the death of former Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith in the week ending Feb. 11 sent ratings for syndicated magazine shows through the roof."

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6420743.html?industryid=47173

"February sweeps programming, Anna Nicole Smith and a patch of bad weather helped drive strong syndication ratings for the week ending February 18, the second full week of the February sweeps."

And Pew:
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/419/anna-nicole-audience-praises-press-coverage

"In fact, the press gets higher ratings for its coverage from the Smith audience than it does from the audiences of any of the top hard news stories of the week."

Granted, the two B&C reports above were on syndicated programs, but I remember seeing big numbers for nets and cable news channels as well. And the Pew report was actually an audience survey on quality of reporting.

Look, no true newsie is happy going salacious. But at some point, you have to respect stories where there's proof that viewers want 'em."Ratings" are such an imprecise science that they are meaningless, really.

[Rosenblum]

To even call it a 'science' takes it too far. I think we all know it is nothing but throwing darts in the dark... however, we all live and die by the numbers, which is unfortunate, but all too true.

[Lazlo Toth]

What is "news"?

It's a four letter word that will take over your life if you're not careful.

[Bureau Chief]

What is news is different in every market. Im in a small market and we still cover crashes, fires, robberies and stabbings. Is it news? On some days, they save the show because most days, foreign leaders and our President forget to stop in and gives us real news. Somedays, these minor events are a pain. Because we have several cross country interstates running thru the city, a big vehicle crash that closes the interstate can become a major story, and that happens about 4 times a year and we pull out all the stops for those stories. Live shots, chopper over the scene and in some cases, a sat truck on scene. Its all in the numbers. This is what the public wants of us. Hell I would love to do real news, political mayhem, major crimes against nature and stuff like that, but it dont happen here. For that stuff, we have to go to Cleveland! :D

[Well Wisher]

Well, well, well. According to Another Side in the Would you Quit thread, news is only what he says it is when he says it is and that's final. And if he's covering an advertiser's a$$ by refusing to run a story, it's okay and if you don't like it you're a troubling disgrace and you're fired.

I beg to differ.

News is, among the many wonderful definitions offered here, telling the stories that those in power try very hard to keep secret. Even when they pay you to keep quiet.

[Another side]

I must have really got to you.

[Lazlo Toth]

Originally posted by Well Wisher:
News is, among the many wonderful definitions offered here, telling the stories that those in power try very hard to keep secret. Even when they pay you to keep quiet.Nah. That's journalism. That has nothing to do with news.

[SamG]

Originally posted by Bureau Chief:
What is news is different in every market. Im in a small market and we still cover crashes, fires, robberies and stabbings. Is it news? On some days, they save the show because most days, foreign leaders and our President forget to stop in and gives us real news. Somedays, these minor events are a pain. Because we have several cross country interstates running thru the city, a big vehicle crash that closes the interstate can become a major story, and that happens about 4 times a year and we pull out all the stops for those stories. Live shots, chopper over the scene and in some cases, a sat truck on scene. Its all in the numbers. This is what the public wants of us. Hell I would love to do real news, political mayhem, major crimes against nature and stuff like that, but it dont happen here. For that stuff, we have to go to Cleveland! :D So the public wants accidents, robberies, and stabbings? You don't think they might be interested in the city council proposing a property tax increase?

I disagree with your statement about news being different in every market... it's not. "News" is what the viewers want to watch. Anyone disagree with that?

[David R. Busse]

"News is anything that makes you say 'Gee Whiz.'"

I had to memorize this for William Howard Taft's "History and Principles of Journalism" class at Mizzou and can't remember who the hell said it. But it certainly is true.

ADDED:
Oops, an Arthur McEwen apparently said this. Thanks, google!

[ August 05, 2007, 03:13 PM: Message edited by: David R. Busse ]

[Sultanosurf]

News is also the chance to speak truth to power, although that sure becomes a risky premise.

Matt, the sources I listed included a Pew survey, which certainly doesn't qualify as 'ratings.' At some point, though, we need feedback on whether we're hitting the target our viewers want. Yeah, we'd all like to go on gut feel, but ratings/focus groups/surveys all serve as objective feedback on whether our gut feel takes us too far afield.

And of course you can boldly go where you haven't gone yet and delineate what you feel qualifies as news. Or not.

[Fake Post]

News actually is an acronym for what you see on a compass every day.

Any information of interest to the masses that occurs in the North, East, West and South parts of the Earth.

That is news.

Or at least that's what I remember one tv news open used to use.

[Signature on File]

swen spelled backwards.

[newz2me]

I heard this phrase once that "news is (something, something) where good men die like dogs in the street". I can't remember the whole saying. Does anyone remember what the (something, something) is?

[Another side]

Originally posted by newz2me:
I heard this phrase once that "news is (something, something) where good men die like dogs in the street". I can't remember the whole saying. Does anyone remember what the (something, something) is?It's Hunter Thompson:

"The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason."

[newz2me]

Yeah that's it, thanks

[markminn]

Originally posted by Another side:
It's Hunter Thompson:

"The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason."And I believe the quote goes on to say,"There also is a bad side."

[Sultanosurf]

Two more from the good doctor:

"Absolute truth is a very rare and dangerous commodity in the context of professional journalism."

"If you're going to be crazy, you have to get paid for it or else you're going to be locked up."

Miss ya man...

[ August 14, 2007, 04:28 PM: Message edited by: Sultanosurf ]