4 ways to fit the changing frame of ‘newsworthy’
These days selfies, celebrity breakups and dog pants—yes, dog pants—garner coverage. If you take pride in your pitches, read on.
In a creative field like PR, identifying a relevant and compelling story is subjective.
News decision-makers and PR pros share the frontlines of determining what is worthy of coverage, especially given that the definition of “newsworthy” has evolved.
Newsworthy content now includes trending topics about selfies, the color of a dress and even dog pants. How can dog pants be categorized as news? Stay with me here. Yes, dog pants may be considered newsworthy by some, which means PR pros have an intriguing opportunity to transform pitching strategies.
Evolution of news
In the past, a successful pitch might include breaking news, fresh statistics or updated information for an ongoing story. However, news consumption has shifted significantly, and in a quest to pique and keep people’s attention, PR pros and journalists have had to adapt.
Topics that would not have been considered newsworthy a few years ago are prominent on social media sites and leading national news outlets. This probably will continue in 2016 with more media organizations featuring stories based on trending topics rather than breaking news. A growing need for content offers possibilities to public relations pros who understand how to integrate this kind of material into their mix and pitch it to the appropriate decision-makers.
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