What is Newsworthy?

News – whether you like it or not, it’s not something that’s going anywhere, and if you want news coverage, you need to understand what is newsworthy. Whether breaking news on television or an exciting announcement from a loved one, news is always around us. But the way we receive, perceive and experience news is ever changing, and there are ways we can control what news we’re sharing as well as what news we’re taking in. From a public relations standpoint, at Point Taken we help our clients make sure they are transmitting valuable news to the media and customers. News – that of course their clients are interested in – and news that their customers can benefit from. Let’s discuss ways to decide what’s newsworthy, particularly for your company and how Point Taken can help you further connect with your audience based on the type of news your audience wants to see and hear.

When you think of telling the news, you may think of journalists. Of course reporters, anchors and writers do relay news, but anyone can be a newsmaker and that’s why it is important to make sure the news your share is worth spreading. Many journalistic values apply to what makes something newsworthy for anyone. According to PBS and many other media companies and education institutions, there are a few values that are important when considering if something is newsworthy.

Make it Timely – it’s a given that people want new news, not old news. Make sure the news you are sharing is still relevant to your audience and those you are sharing it with.
Make Sure It Has Human Interest – people like hearing about other people. Whether overcoming adversity or celebrating a major milestone, people like hearing human interest stories. We naturally like to relate to people so spreading news about other people, especially good news, is often easily newsworthy.
Make it Relevant – people like information that helps them make better decisions. So if your clients are interested in cooking, sharing recipes would be newsworthy for them. Cater what you share based on your audience and their interests.

There are several other factors you want to consider before distributing what you consider to be news. And remember, what you find newsworthy, someone else might not, so you have to keep that in mind when sharing news in person or through media. The Point Taken team includes many current and former journalists who can help your company create a plan to ensure you are always sharing newsworthy information with your current and potential customers.

Ready to share your news? Point Taken can help you craft stories that are timely, have human interest and relevant. Contact us today to share your news.

Point Taken Communications, a boutique Jacksonville public relations and marketing firm serving brands nationwide, creates engaging campaigns that ignite positive change and move audiences to action. We go above and beyond, ensuring each client gets the best return on its investment. Our team of senior professionals has decades of experience bringing bold, creative ideas to life to help companies and nonprofits grow and evolve. At Point Taken, our clients inspire us to fuel progress for your organization, your industry and our world.