There are three basic types of news. The first type is “inverted pyramid” style, with stories based on crime, money, and scandal. The second type is “familiarity,” which includes news about everyday life. Both types are relevant, but the difference is the degree to which they affect our daily lives.
Inverted pyramid style of news
The inverted pyramid style of writing is a classic method of presenting news articles. It has proven effective for journalists and readers alike. The inverted pyramid structure allows news outlets to pack more information into a smaller space. This is especially helpful in a time when newspapers are shrinking.
Violence and scandal
In the United States, the number of violent incidents reported on television and in the news is on the rise. While the media tends to focus more on national events, many local stories are reported as well. In spite of the fact that robberies, murders, and other serious crimes make up only a small fraction of total criminal cases, these stories still tend to draw huge attention and often trigger political discussions. This is due to several reasons.
Familiarity
Familiarity with news is a social practice that helps citizens engage in civic life. By integrating news into the classroom, professors can help young adults become lifelong learners and better citizens of a democratic society. Research conducted by Alison J. Head, senior research fellow at Harvard University’s metaLAB, and Erica DeFrain, Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, supports this view.
Timeliness
The importance of timeliness of news has long been recognized in journalism. Timeliness of news was a cornerstone of 19th-century newspaper production, and a crucial aspect of audience engagement with news. Increasingly, timeliness of news was reified within and outside the press through marketing and organizational rewards. It enhanced readers’ prospects of participating in far-flung events, and reinforced the ritualistic quality of news.
Relevance
Relevance of news is a concept involving the ability of news to influence an individual’s decision-making processes. News can be relevant to a person depending on various factors, including violence, controversy, locality, timelyness, and familiarity. A journalist’s choice of a news story will often be determined by its relevance to a community or society. Several models have been proposed to explain this phenomenon.