Human Rights Education A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions NHRIs should be aware of the risks involved in working with the media in environments where freedom of the press is under threat. If the public is sceptical of information published or broadcast by certain media outlets, then they will be just as sceptical about information on the activities of the NHRI carried by those outlets. This can also serve to undermine public confidence in the independence of the NHRI. Of course, NHRIs also have a critical role to play in working with the media and others to promote and defend freedom of expression. 10.3. UNDERSTANDING NEWS VALUES Journalists in many countries have a positive record in covering human rights issues. They are genuinely interested in the stories and information that NHRIs have to share. However, “[o]verriding everything is whether or not a story is news: new, unexpected, affecting current affairs both large and small”.163 For NHRIs, understanding what makes “news” – those elements that dictate whether a story is splashed across the front page or a minor item buried deep inside the newspaper – is crucial a first step in being able to engage effectively with the media. Understanding news values helps NHRIs to better frame their work as stories that will interest editors and journalists and result in prominent coverage of their issues. 10.3.1. Top 10 news values 1. Impact The more people involved in or affected by an event or an issue, the greater its newsworthiness. 2. Timeliness The more recently an event happened, the more newsworthy it will be. 3. Negativity Bad news will generally receive more coverage than good news. 4. Unexpectedness The unusual, unexpected and quirky capture the news media’s attention. 5. Unambiguous Events that are easy to explain will be given greater prominence than stories with a complex background. 6. Conflict Controversy and clashes between different groups or individuals has dramatic impact. 7. Personalization Human interest stories grounded in strong emotions – grief, fear, overcoming adversity – have broad appeal. 8. Relevance News stories need to resonate with the values, interests and expectations of the audience. 9. Prominence Stories that involve culturally important people or places dominate the news agenda. 10. Visualness Strong images – photos or video – that capture an event or help explain an issue increase the newsworthiness of a story. 163 94 Journalism, Media and the Challenge of Human Rights Reporting; International Council on Human Rights Policy; 2002; p. 17.