News Value blog task

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 News Values: Blog task


Read Media Factsheet 76: News Values and complete the following questions/tasks. 
Our Media Factsheet archive is available here - you'll need your Greenford Google login to access.

1) What example news story does the Factsheet use to illustrate Galtung and Ruge's News Values? Why is it an appropriate example of a news story likely to gain prominent coverage?

The factsheet likely uses a major event such as 9/11, the death of Princess Diana, or a natural disaster like the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to illustrate news values. These events align with Galtung and Ruge’s criteria because they are:

  • Immediate (Frequency): Events that occur in a short, specific timeframe fit media schedules.
  • Unexpected (Surprise): A terrorist attack or sudden disaster is shocking.
  • Negative (Bad news is good news): The media prioritizes dramatic and tragic events.
  • Unambiguous: The event has a clear cause-and-effect narrative.
  • Personalized: The media focuses on human stories and emotional angles.
  • Meaningful (Cultural Proximity): Some stories are deemed more relevant due to shared cultural or political ties.
2) What is gatekeeping?
Gatekeeping is the process of selecting, and then filtering, items of media that can be consumed within the time or space that an individual happens to have.

3) What are the six ways bias can be created in news?
  1. Selection and Omission: Choosing which stories to report and which to ignore.
  2. Placement: More important stories get front-page or prime-time coverage.
  3. Headlines: Titles can be misleading or exaggerated to push a narrative.
  4. Photos, Captions, and Camera Angles: Images can frame people or events positively or negatively.
  5. Names and Titles: Word choices (e.g., “terrorist” vs. “freedom fighter”) shape perceptions.
  6. Statistics and Crowd Counts: Numbers can be reported in ways that exaggerate or downplay events.

4) How have online sources such as Twitter, bloggers or Wikileaks changed the way news is selected and published?
  • Less reliance on traditional media: Social media, blogs, and platforms like WikiLeaks bypass traditional gatekeepers.
  • Faster news cycles: Twitter enables real-time updates, but also misinformation spreads faster.
  • More diverse voices: Citizen journalism allows marginalized groups to share perspectives.

    • 5) In your opinion, how has the digital age changed Galtung and Ruge’s news values? 
    I think that the speed and interactivity of digital news have reshaped the original values. For example: Immediacy is more important as news updates happen instantly rather than waiting for newspapers or TV broadcasts.       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        6) How would you update these news values for the digital age? Choose TWO of Galtung and Ruge' news values and say how they have been affected by the growth of digital technology.

    Continuity (Before: If a story is already in the news, it stays in the news.)                                                          Now: Social media and trending algorithms keep stories alive, but only if they generate engagement. A viral topic may disappear within hours if engagement drops.  


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