Sunday, December 3, 2017

Truth, Ideas, and Goodness should be News Values

   For those in the news business, and those who have studied what makes news, and those who care what makes the news, I give you three new news values.
   Truth should be a news value. Ideas that will make the world better should be a news value. Goodness should be a news value.
   When journalists are trained, they are given a list of news values. I word search, and find this listing from a website call digitalthirdcoast.net: Impact, timeliness, prominence, proximity, the bizarre, conflict, currency and human interest.
   And now, our three new members.
   Truth: Truth is the brightest gem, to be valued more than diamonds. Why, then, not make it a news value? "Falsehood flies, and the Truth comes limping after it," Jonathan Swift once said. Often, those who yell loudest gets their messages out, instead of those who have the truth. News people should make sure those with the truth do not get slighted. Sometimes, they are humble and do not seek the limelight, so news people should seek them out.
   Ideas -- Things that make the world better: Inventions, innovations, great ideas, great thoughts and great thinking and great philosophies, solutions to issues and political problems -- all of these have great news value. Though not traditionally listed as a news value, inventions are played well in the news. Great thinking is not always so fortunate.
   Goodness: If you parade goodness before the world, the world will follow in goodness, at least to some extent. We are copycats. So, if you would make the world a better place, tell the stories of those who do good.
   (Note: Material added and headline changed 12/4)



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