Media A2 coursework

1. GALTUNG AND RUGE
NEWS VALUES

2.  For any story that appears in the news has to have
importance. The stories go through a ‘Gatekeeping’
process which determines whether it makes it into the
news. One known News Value list was written by Johan
Galtung and Marie Holmboe Ruge (1965). Despite there
research being conducted three decades ago many people
still refer to the values that they identified.

3. News Values :
 Frequency: Recent events such as murder over long time events or big local events .
 Threshold: The scale or size of the event, for example if a high quantity of people have died in local
fires attacks etc.
 Unambiguity: An accessible story that the public are able to understand or is simplified by the
media.
 Cultural Proximity/Meaningfulness: A story that is relevant to it’s audience. For example people who
have passed away etc.
 Consonance/Correspondence: Goes against the grain, is unusual or unfamiliar. For example the
Jimmy Savile scandle.
 Unexpected: Something that has happened without warning and is usually breaking news. For
example big crime stories within Corby .

4. News Values:
 Reference to elite persons: The famous and powerful (Royalty, celebrity’s and politicians) within the
local area are more newsworthy then ordinary people.
 Personalisation: Story’s that people can empathize and sympathize with, that effect the “everyday
citizen”.
 Negativity: Bad news sells.
 Continuity: How long will the story last in the media, is it likely to be covered over a period of time.
 Composition: There must be a balance of good and bad news. Such as community projects in the
area and sport.
 Reference to elite nations: News on the nations that we in the UK want to hear about, like the USA
and Europe .

5. Applying These Theories To My Local
Newspaper :
 The main theories from the 12 selected that I will be using in my local
newspapers are Frequency , Threshold , Unexpected and Negativity . Firstly
Frequency will be used within the newspaper because shows recent events to
the audience and it is obvious when buying a newspaper this is what they will
want to see , so these stories could include sporting stories or local
community events up and coming or finishing . Threshold is important
because a big scale of news will attract a mass audience to read the paper so
this could be local people dying in a house fire , this also includes negativity
because bad news sells and this is what people want to read . The final theory
that I will include is unexpected and this is because mass audiences love sad
news and unexpected news , they love to read in to it . Some of this stories
could include freak stories such as deaths , fires etc. , this is a harsh
assumption but it is true.