To those in and out of the news, everyone seems to have a different definition. My personal favourite is from Philip Graham, “The first rough draft of history” (Michael Gartner 1982). But to many it is as simply as an interesting story, and to the media it's usually, what gets views. 

 

The original concept of news revolved around providing accurate information to the public, the majority, who have less access to the world. Quickly news media took its place as the ‘fourth estate’ setting itself aside as a core pillar to maintaining democracy and freedom. Today, the news is still preached as ‘fair’ and ‘unbiased’ as much as it can, but the growing distrust in the news is assisting its demise.

 

For something to be newsworthy it MUST, well at least for the reader, be truthful and unbiased, the fact. With Donald Trump's crusade against 'fake news', poor polling and thoroughly divided opinions, news outlets have become less trusted. In July 2018 the famous John Cleese of Monty Python made a public statement that he is leaving England. Interviewed later he placed it almost squarely on the poor level of debate in England and the public's shocking trust in the news, last, of all EU states (BBC Newsnight 2018). 

 

What the growing resentment to mainstream news shows are peoples fundamental need for news to be true. As such, a newsworthy story MUST foremost be the facts above anything else, with any array of news values simply sprinkles on top. The large shift away from major news shows that people are hungry for niche channels and happy to spread their perhaps not so orthodox opinion.

 

News is great, but truth is better.