WHAT IS NEWS?

What is news?
Yadgar Ismail, MA Why and what for?
[email protected]
2019
THREE GOALS OF
JOURNALISM/MEDIA
Information on recent
events/developments
Inform
Educate
Entertain
 Major Types of News
HARD NEWS V. SOFT
NEWS

Journalists often refer to “hard” news

and “soft” news. What’s the
difference?
News is either soft or hard/serious and
it has the following kinds:
-Political
-Sports
-Economy
-Scientific
-lifestyle/horizon
-Art
-Entertainment
-Technology
-Others
HARD NEWS

…is important to large numbers of people.

It has impact and consequence, and it is
always timely.
SOFT NEWS
is less important and has little
consequence. It entertains as well as
informs. It is less timely (or sometimes
not at all), it usually involves human
interest, and appeals more to emotions
than intellect.
NEWS HAVE THE
FOLLOWING
CHARACTERISTICS
1. Timeliness
2. Conflict
3. Consequence
4. Prominence
5. Proximity
6. Human interest
TIMELINESS
The news happened recently (since the last edition)
It’s new, otherwise, we’d call it “olds”
Almost every story has some timeliness aspect
For example:
A teen driver is hit by another car at the intersection
of Miller and Russell today, in the newspaper
tomorrow.
CONFLICT
War, elections, sports
Any time there is a struggle
For example:
In an election year a lot of stories about the election are news. The
conflict in Iraq is news.
CONSEQUENCE
The subject of a story has an impact on how people live their lives.
For example:
A story on a new curfew that will take effect, or a street that is
under construction, or a scientific breakthrough
PROMINENCE
Elected, wealthy, famous
For example:
If I choke on a pretzel, it’s not news. When the president does, it is
news.
PROXIMITY
Closeness, either because of geographical proximity or because of
relationship
For example:
News about the area (geographical) or news about things of
interest/concern to locals (relationship).
HUMAN INTEREST
“Warm and fuzzy” feeling
For example:
Olympic athlete bios, Dateline “Survivor Stories”
NEWS FOR NEWS
EDITORS
Headline: NATO Concerned about missile
development X
NATO discusses strict missile treaties X
Lead: 2024 NATO summit to discuss new missile
treaty 
Byline: Kurdistan Azad 
Body: facts and quotations; up to three lines of
information 
Conclusion: background or result of the news, or its
current status 
PRACTICAL ELEMENTS' IN
WRITTEN (ELECTRONIC
AND PAPER MEDIA)
MEDIA:
Headline: It sums up the story and is usually
in larger font or bolded. “A man was arrested
for the school shooting”

Usually by more experienced newsroom staff

‘PRACTICAL ELEMENTS' IN
WRITTEN (ELECTRONIC
AND PAPER MEDIA)
MEDIA:
Byline: information that defines the
reporter/editor and their type of
work/specialization
' PRACTICAL ELEMENTS' IN
WRITTEN (ELECTRONIC
AND PAPER MEDIA)
MEDIA:
Led: This gives the most important information very briefly
according to the WH/HW Questions: What? Who? When?
Where? How? Why?
Example:
A strong earthquake hit Soran District around 03:40 am
causing fear
Continuous rainfall has strongly damaged farms in Kalar
south southern Kurdistan
' PRACTICAL ELEMENTS' IN
WRITTEN (ELECTRONIC
AND PAPER MEDIA)
MEDIA:
Body: It supplies additional information. It is
divided into small paragraphs, just like in
academic essays.
' PRACTICAL ELEMENTS' IN
WRITTEN (ELECTRONIC
AND PAPER MEDIA)
MEDIA:
Facts: Every news article includes
straightforward and true statements about what
happened, like: “The shooter fired at students in
the schoolyard about 12:00 PM.”
' PRACTICAL ELEMENTS' IN
WRITTEN (ELECTRONIC
AND PAPER MEDIA)
MEDIA:
Quotations: these add credibility to the news/reports
and articles, just like secondary and primary sources
do in academic essays. For example: School
headmaster said: “the shooter seemed familiar and I
have never witnessed a criminal so determined to kill,
he might have had some strong reasons, maybe he is
a terrorist or something.”
‘PRACTICAL ELEMENTS' IN
WRITTEN (ELECTRONIC
AND PAPER MEDIA)
MEDIA:
Conclusion: Here newsman/editor provides
necessary background of the news if necessary
or if the topic is not familiar to the targeted
audience.
ANY QUESTIONS?
News example
Palestinians and Israelis (who)(Where)
finally agreed on the peace deal (What)
After long negotiation the two sides reached
a compromise to re-draw the border lines of
the new Palestinian state. (how)
Based on the new agreement Palestine will
have access to the red sea and share
boarder with Jordan. (how)
This came after Palestinians rejection of
Trump’s peace plan. (why)
Another examples of news, regular

WHO announces a roadmap of new virus prevention

WHO publishes a guideline on how to prevent Corona (lead)
World Health Organization secretary, Dr. Sman B, informed
international media that self-protection is still the best
protection. (Body, Detail)
He clarified that a vaccine is yet to be found for the virus,
therefore governments should instruct their citizens on the
risks and virus prevention. (B-A)
So far about 75k people have been tested virus positive
and as many as 20k have been released from hospitals.
(Background)
Short news

Over 200 people tested positive for new

virus in KRG (Lead)
They were tourists who came back from
Iran. (B-D)
There are as many as 5k KRG citizens
awaiting approval to return. (B-I)
January salary sent to KRG and the list to
be available next week (lead) What, When, Whom,
Where

The salary is expected to be distributed the

following week amid some protest from the
teachers. (Additional information). What, when, who
The current agreement came after weeks of
endless negotiation and meetings with
Baghdad. ADD 2.
The dispute between Erbil and Baghdad
over budget has been on going since
budget cut in 2014. (Background) [means you add
Key words: Trump, second term, include, border,
Canada, artificial, economy, costly, both, British
Empire, Colonization.
Lead: trump reminded all that it is better for Canada
to become the 51st state.
Detail: Trump stated that in a news conference
emphasizing that the border lines are artificial.
Add 1: trump added that border protection is costly
and its better for the economy of Canadians to be part
of the USA.
Add 2?: He also stated that the inclusion is good for
both.
Background: Trump brought this up two weeks before
inauguration linking the borderline to the British
KEY WORDS: PERSONAL STATUS LAW,
IRAQ, UNDERAGE MARRIAGE, 30% OF
GIRLS, ABUSE, SECTARIANISMS,
LEGAL PROTECTION, ARRANGED,
FORCED, CHILDREN, HUMAN RIGHTS.
Lead: Personal status law risks the status of 30% girls,
HRW announces
Detail: the approval of the law came after years of
Shiite blocks at the parliament to pass it.
Add 1.: the group’s approach is considered sectarian
and abuse of legal rights and protections
Add 2.: there has been some resistance to the law, but
weakened by an agreement
Conclusion/background: the law is seen as a drawback
of human rights and support of child marriage