News Vocab Terms

Also known as oddity or rarity, this news value focuses on a story that is unusual and highly interesting.

• Indirect Quote

• Novelty

• Conflict

• Softball Quetions

This is the process journalists use to determine what is newsworthy based on eight factors or news values.

• Transcript

• Human Interest

• Currency

• News Judgement

Original materials, such as public record or a letter/email. These are the people with first-hand information.

• Primary Source

• Prominence

• Direct Quote

• Timeliness

A news value that determines the importance of a story, also known as “impact.”

• Novelty

• Conflict

• Consequence

• Open Records Law

Easier questions a reporter uses to begin an interview. They help make the source comfortable

• Transcript

• Softball Questions

• Proximity

• Validity

Information provided by a source without quotation marks. Usually a close rephrasing. Not word-for-word. Must also be attributed

• Indirect Quote

• Direct Quote

• Primary Source

• Secondary Source

This news value deals with the emotional qualities of a story. Does the story evoke an emotional response?

• Currency

• News Judgement

• Human Interest

• Timeliness

Written account of a spoken event (i.e. speech, interview)

• Consequence

• Direct Quote

• Validity

• Transcript

This news value represents a story in which two or more forces are in opposition to each other.

• Conflict

• Softball Questions

• Open Records Law

• "Who Cares?" Method

This news value deals with stories that are of high interest to the public; usually, these stories are based on topical, current events.

• Conflict

• Proximity

• Currency

• Novelty