Is it relevant? Does it have impact? Is it immediate? Is it novel?
Anyone who’s worked in a newsroom knows that these are among the four leading criteria editors use for determining whether it’s a story or not. Relevancy. Impact. Immediacy. Novelty.
Media relations practitioners who want to place stories with news editors, producers and reporters know either overtly or intuitivelythe significance of pitching stories based on these criteria.
Sometimes, there’s an overemphasis on “novelty” that sacrifices the integrity or depth of a story for shallowness. Both journalists (some of them) and some p.r. people take this leap.
There should also be a fifth word - for journalists and public relations professionals alike: responsibility. With the proliferation of media today, and the plethora of gossip-type formats, including Internet (websites and blogs) and cable tv and radio (the latter having to do with too many shows that are more about propoganda than information) - so much, and I believe too much, of what we see and hear is irresponsible in the guise of journalism.
I believe more p.r. people would be respected by journalists if they took the time to check the veracity of the stories they pitch.
“Novelty” may sell papers and boost ratings. It can also land a p.r. person a placement. While it doesn’t enhance the quality of life or grow the amount of our gray matter, it passes if it’s truthful. But if it’s also a false or distorted story - then ultimately readers and viewers will move away - and p.r. people will lose their credibility.
So let’s add “responsibility” to the above four criteria for journalism and p.r. that works.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:12 pm
I like your addition of responsibility to the four leading criteria for a good story. It’s even more necessary to be responsible now with the incredible speed with which stories can be transmitted over the Internet.
I could make up a story about _______ (fill in the blank with the name of your least favorite presidential candidate, for example), and say that I saw them back their car into a pedestrian in a parking lot, and it would be all over the news in about 2 hours. The rebuttal would come later, but there would still be a high percentage of people that would believe in the original story and then either not believe in the rebuttal or never see it.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Thank you Nancy for your astute comment. Best, Mike
November 24th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
This is something that has needed said for quite some time. Actually, more than said . . . practiced. In today’s society, it seems that personal responsibility has taken a back seat in just about every area of our lives. Freedom of the press tells us that we have the right to report on just about anything. But just because we can doesn’t necessarily always mean we should.
November 24th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
Todd - appreciate your thoughts. Best, Mike