The media is filled with new stories daily, but what makes that story newsworthy? Most of what we see is sensational, but it is mixed in with the news because we see it in a lot of the same places. There's our social media feeds, discussions with friends, family, coworkers, and on search boards or TV. There are loads of headlines, notifications, and viral posts talking about the newest story.
To me, something becomes newsworthy when it actually matters. Not just to me but to others so they understand what significant things are happening in their communities, countries, economy, or daily life. I think it has to be grounded in relevance.
To be cliché, do we really need to know what the latest Kardashian style is? Does it matter that Rihanna wore Ugg slippers with a Louis Vuitton bag? (Yes, that’s a real article, here https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/celebrity-style/rihanna-ugg-mary-jane-slippers-louis-vuitton-speedy-bag/.)
Sensational content, though, is driven by emotion and human interests. Such as Rihanna’s choice of matching shoes with a purse. It’s not meant to be important, just to entertain. It’s supposed to spark feelings like shock, anger, curiosity, and excitement. They’re exaggerated, dramatic, or written/said in a way that makes the interaction more important than context or clarity.
The biggest difference is purpose.
Newsworthy stories are meant to inform, while sensational stories are meant to provoke.
It’s the difference between learning and feeling.
Yes, both can teach, and yes, both can evoke feelings, but the priority of either one is the key detail.
Sensational videos are not always bad; sometimes, weird or emotional things are important to talk about! Except for Rihanna’s choice of footwear, I’m sorry. But when shock value replaces the truth, the audience loses, and the news becomes white noise.
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