Receiving non-newsworthy pitches can feel like getting stuck in quicksand.
Just as quicksand slows down movement and progress, having to sift through a multitude of irrelevant pitches can impede a journalist’s ability to focus on important stories and meet deadlines. It can also be frustrating to feel trapped and unable to make progress towards covering stories that are genuinely newsworthy.
By comparison, receiving newsworthy information at the right time can help a journalist to meet their deadlines and stay ahead of the competition. It can give them an edge in terms of providing exclusive content that no other publication has covered yet, which can generate interest and engagement from their audience.
Suddenly the person who pitched them goes from irritation and hindrance to valuable source of information.
But what makes a story truly newsworthy?
Journalists use five key areas of evaluation when determining which events and issues are significant enough to warrant coverage..
- Timeliness: One of the most important factors in determining whether a story is newsworthy is its timeliness. Stories that are happening now or have just happened are more likely to be considered newsworthy. For example, a major earthquake that just occurred in a populated area would be considered newsworthy, whereas an earthquake that occurred several years ago in a remote location would not.
- Impact: Another important factor is the impact the story will have on the community, nation, or even the world. Stories that have a significant impact on people’s lives are more likely to be newsworthy. For example, a decision by a government to increase taxes or a major company announcing layoffs would be considered newsworthy because of the impact it will have on people’s lives.
- Proximity: Stories that are geographically close to the audience are more likely to be considered newsworthy. For example, a local event, such as a fundraiser for a school or a protest outside a city hall, would be more newsworthy to a local audience than a national story that has no local impact.
- Conflict: Stories that involve conflict or controversy are more likely to be considered newsworthy. For example, a political scandal or a high-profile court case would be considered newsworthy because of the conflict involved.
- Human Interest: Stories that have a strong human interest angle are more likely to be considered newsworthy. These are stories that evoke emotions and capture the reader’s attention. For example, a heartwarming story about a local hero or a tragic story about a family who lost everything in a house fire would be considered newsworthy because of their emotional impact.
A pitch that is not newsworthy is one that does not offer any significant changes or benefits to the market, is not relevant to the journalist’s beat or publication, or lacks any specific news angle or significant impact. Journalists constantly discern what is newsworthy and what is not to maintain the credibility of their publications and provide audiences with relevant and informative news.
To give a practical example, let’s consider a local news story about a new policy implemented by a city council to combat traffic congestion.
This story would be considered newsworthy for several reasons. First, it would be timely because it is a recent development and has an immediate impact on residents who are affected by traffic congestion. Second, it has a significant impact on people’s daily lives as it could potentially reduce the amount of time they spend stuck in traffic. Third, the story has proximity since it concerns a local issue that affects the daily lives of the city’s residents.
Furthermore, the story may also be newsworthy because of its conflict. The policy may not be universally popular, and there may be opposition from certain groups or individuals who feel that it is unfair or does not address the root cause of the problem. This conflict could generate interest and engagement from readers or viewers, who are invested in the outcome of the policy.
Most important of all, the story may have a human interest angle. For example, the new policy may disproportionately affect certain groups, such as low-income workers who rely on cars for transportation, and reporters could highlight their stories and how the new policy may impact their lives. A personal story quickly illustrates the importance of a story by putting a face to the issue.
When you’re considering pitching a story, be sure to communicate it’s newsworthy status by describing its timeliness, impact, proximity, potential conflict and human interest. By covering stories that meet these criteria, journalists can provide relevant and informative news to their audiences and help them stay informed about issues that affect their daily lives.
Truly great public relations professionals use this knowledge to protect their brand’s reputation and create positive relationships with journalists by not pitching non-newsworthy items. Instead, you can recommend other communications tactics to deliver messages that are important to your organization’s internal stakeholders.
Receiving exactly the newsworthy information a journalist needs at the right time can be a fulfilling and exhilarating experience, giving them the tools and resources they need to create high-quality news content that informs and engages their audience.
Make it your goal to create that thrill for the journalist on the other end of your email.
