ElizabethThis is an assignment that I completed for my college journalism class, but I thought it lead to some insightful thoughts that I wanted to share. I hope you enjoy! Be sure to eave a comment with your opinions.
What is news? What are the qualities that comprise a headline? What events need to happen to be deemed as “newsworthy”?
These questions seem easy to answer at a glance, but upon further speculation they are a much deeper conundrum to solve.
Oxford Languages defines “news” as “newly received or noteworthy information, especially about recent or important events.” Sure, “newly received” information is pretty easy to decipher, but how does one determine what information can be deemed as “noteworthy” or “important”?
I would say that for a story to be “newsworthy,” it must entail something that influences a mass amount of people. This could be an election, a world treaty, criminal activity, stock market information, and the like. But, aside from this, I believe that truth is the most vital characteristic of any news story.
Truth, after all, is what allows the public to determine their opinions with correct information. Truth allows for free thought and for properly informed minds. When the truth is removed, we are no longer left with news but with misinformation and lies.
Unfortunately, today’s news stations and papers have a different idea of what news really is. The media has become very selective in the types of stories that they cover, believing that they should be in control of what the public knows. As you can imagine, this leads to mass censorship of truth, making the “news” that they put out nothing more than misinformation.
When deciding what topics are “newsworthy,” stations and papers tend to write on subjects either in a biased manner or simply cease reporting on them. The goal of the media is no longer to speak the truth but to further the agenda of the ones in power.
It is my hope that the next generation can put a stop to mass censorship and bring back authentic, truthful, unbiased news into the media once again.
