News values determine what makes a story newsworthy. Stories that appeal to human emotion, impact many people, or involve conflict are more likely to be considered news. Additionally, stories that are current, unusual, involve prominent people or institutions, or are geographically proximate are more newsworthy than those lacking these qualities.

1. What are news values?
(HICCUPPT)

2. Human Interest
Stories appeal to emotion that aim to evoke
responses such as amusement or sadness.

3. Impact
Information that affects many people is more
newsworthy than information affecting only a
few people.

4. Conflict
The story contains struggle, confrontation,
violence, protest or argument (war, crime,
politics, sport, social debate, etc.).

5. Currency
Flavor of the month, year.

6. Unusual
Stories about something peculiar/out of the
ordinary can be entertaining and/or
informative.

7. Prominence
Events or issues regarding famous people or
institutions are more newsworthy than those
involving lesser known people or institutions.

8. Proximity
People are interested in issues and events close
to them. The closer the story to home, the
more newsworthy it is.

9. Timeliness
Topics which are current are good news.