news values essay x

 News value essay:

400-800 words

News values is about how professionals decide on what is newsworthy, how to attract an audience in newspapers, on line and social news. News values (1981 study by Galtung and Ruge) is a criteria used by media outlets e.g newspapers to determine how important stories are.

According to former Times and Sunday Times Editor, Harold Evans, a newsworthy story consists of some of the few listed below:

1.       necessary information and unusual events

2.       based on observable facts

3.      should be an unbiased account

4.      should be free from the reporter’s opinion

the news article i analysed was called ‘a look at the catholic churches sex scandals’ , which is quite a broad topic to be discussed in the media. This article uses proximity, proximity means news close to home or geographically. For example, cases of sex scandals have been raised in Ireland and America which are both tightly linked to the United Kingdom, thus making it a priority in our media and other western countries. In Ireland 2009, it was reported that 11 priests had been convicted of sexual assault toward children from the catholic churches in Dublin. It was reported that catholic churches had covered up clerical child abuse, there was a commission set up on 2006 to look into many allegations. Finally, in 2009 and nine the truth was told and 11 priest had been found guilty of sexual assault.

In addition, in America 2002 a priest named john geoghan sexually abused 130 people from 1962-95. Most of the claims that were made were by grammer school boys, despite allegations geoghan was moved to another parish and continued to do the same until he was arrested for molesting a boy in a swimming pool. A year later geoghan was killed by a fellow inmate. The CNN article completely conveys a negative view of the Catholic Church. Negativity is also a news value; people are most likely to read a negative part of an article because it seems more appealing to know what bad things are happening in the world. Moreover, as it is the Catholic Church that is being conveyed in an extremely but acceptable negative light it is more appealing because it is one of the biggest religions in the world. The article shows the Catholic Church as to be completely contradictory and scandalous as it is the own priest who shouldn’t that has sinned by molesting 130 people. In 2004 it was reported that at least 4,444 children were abused by priests’ between 1950 and 2002.

The report is a shock to many people in society, as many of us view religion and churches as scared places of worship, trust, safety and community. Further, it is a shock because it happens quite frequently in many other countries, such as; Australia, Brazil, Netherlands and Austria. These are just a few that are mentioned in the article but there are many more countries that have suffered the same wrong doings by priests. It is a shock because it unexpected and can be kept quiet by the churches for a very long period of time. Priests are an example of faith, they portray high morals and for the people we trust in church to do multiple acts of sexual abuse is astonishing.