Six determining factors that make your story newsworthy

What factors make your story newsworthy?

As an entrepreneur, you experience something every day that you like to share with others, because if all goes well, you have - or work for - a company you are proud of. You might notice in private circles that not everyone is waiting for all your work-related news. Conversely, you probably don't need to know about every tidbit in your interlocutors' offices either. Now I can't help you think of ways to better entertain your loved one or friends, but fortunately the media do have a unified set of needs when it comes to news. After all, according to them, something is more likely to be newsworthy if it:

1. Different from the ordinary;
2. Impact on many people or groups;
3. Coming from a relevant source;
4. Being close to the recipient;
5. Fit within the zeitgeist;
6. Otherwise quiet is in media land.

1. News deviates from the ordinary

We kick off with the first determining factor: something is newsworthy if it deviates from the ordinary. This applies to both small and big events. If something has always been happening, after a while it no longer stands out. This means, for example, that the outbreak of war in the Netherlands would be on all the front pages around the world, while for the Gaza Strip it would be when a peace agreement is reached. It also means that during a crisis, as now, in the current communication phase, non-crisis news is more than welcome. So always ask yourself the question: does my message deviate enough from the day-to-day?

2. Newsworthy stories impact many people or groups

Next, factor number two: who will be affected by your story? Does this apply to all of the Netherlands, Europe or even the whole world? Or does your new insight target a specific sector? In the latter case, national media will assign less news value to the message, but trade media, on the other hand, all the more. The general rule that applies to this factor is: the greater the reach of the medium, the more general the message should be.

3. Relevant sources make coverage newsworthy

The third factor tells us more about the bringer of the news, the messenger. For example, if your neighbour makes a sharp statement about Tesla's policies and shares it with the media, I think it is unlikely that they will pick up on it. If it turns out that your neighbour is Elon Musk, it suddenly becomes a very different story. The phrase 'cobbler, stick to your last' helps you determine whether you are the right person to comment on a topic. Moreover, the more concrete you define your field, the faster you will become an authority (or thought leader) within this field. Finally, this third factor also applies to events. Did you fall into a canal with your bike after a Friday afternoon drink? Possibly a local medium will pick up this story. Does this happen to a well-known politician? Right.

4. News is close to the receiver

We move on to the fourth factor, which is the distance between the story and the recipient. Perhaps you can also check this with yourself: sometimes you label messages as too far away. At such times, the subject is too far away from you, for instance, or you have little common ground with the people in the message. This is why you won't find technical subject matter in Dutch national media, or reports on shootings in an American ghetto. So no matter how interesting the story is to you and your industry peers, always try to empathise with the medium's target audience.

5. News fits well within the zeitgeist

The second-to-last point of interest relates to the zeitgeist, the prevailing way of thinking at a given time. Currently, you could say that we are in the fourth industrial revolution, where boundaries between physical, digital and biological worlds are blurring. A time when everyone is connected online and can constantly air their opinions. But also a time when we are thinking more and more about our posterity and our impact (footprint) on the world. This is the reason why nowadays themes such as privacy, 'consumerism' and sustainability, for example, are doing well in the media.

6. The amount of news determines the threshold

Finally, the sixth factor: the amount of other news. Or rather the level of competition for the same piece of newspaper. With this last point, we quickly end up with the term 'cucumber time'. Because how much or how little news there is determines the news threshold. During cucumber time, there is political recess, educational institutions are closed and production and business activity is at a low ebb. This automatically creates less news, allowing media to set the proverbial bar a little lower for a publication. So make smart use of this and keep an eye on your competitors.

Make your message newsworthy before approaching the media

With the above factors in mind, always remain critical of your own story. Because no matter how interesting you or those around you find it, the media will ultimately determine what is newsworthy.