This resource was commissioned for the event, When Religion Makes the News, but it applies to anyone working in communications or PR.
A story is newsworthy when one or more of the following apply:
- It is new
- It is novel
- It relates to famous people
- It is directly important to many people
- It involves conflict
- It involves mystery or is confidential
- It pertains to the future
- It involves human interest
It must be deemed of interest to the journalists’ readers, viewers, listeners…
An ‘exceptional’ event is also news
Depending on the medium, other issues can make news:
- New development or initiative
- New staff appointments
- Community involvement
- Sponsorship deal
- Staff charity day
- Open day, public event
- Famous visitor
- New product or service
- Personal achievement of individual
- Grand opening by personality
- Interesting new customer/supplier
- The numbers game, ie. 10th birthday, one million customers
- Announcing future plans
- Organised publicity stunt
They will use your press release if…
- It is newsworthy or topical
- It is controversial
- It fits into ‘their day’
- It is funny or quirky (perhaps)
- It makes good pictures
- It fills a gap
- It fits one of their campaigns
And… if they are short of news.
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Copyright of the author, Christine Warwick, PR consultant