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a. Conflict: Does your story feature a struggle between two or more easily defined groups?
b. Impact: Will central issue of your story change public in any measurable way?
c. Immediacy: Is your issue timely? Is it happening now?
3. Fascination: Will your story appeal to public at a primal level? In other words, is your story interesting?
a. Drama: Does your story offer trappings of dramatic works, such as plot, characters, suspense, setting and like?
b. Human interest: Can public relate to characters in your news story?
c. Emotion: Will your story touch public's heart?
d. Images: Will your story naturally supply or suggest powerful video, photos or other graphics that will help tell story? (This is especially important for TV, but is equally important for print if you want to receive a primary position in a newspaper or magazine.)
e. Myth: Does your story tap into stereotypes of mass media? For example, powerbroker, underdog, workaholic, iconoclast, eccentric, selfless advocate and so on.
f. Surprise: Does your story offer an unexpected twist? For example, "man bites dog." PR Rainmakers look for these patterns in stories they sell to news media. If patterns don't emerge naturally, then PR Rainmakers search for ways to inject patterns into their stories.
Without patterns of newsworthiness, media simply will not recognize your story as news.
Rusty Cawley is a 20-year veteran journalist who now coaches executives, entrepreneurs and professionals on using the news media to attract customers and to advance ideas. For your free copy of the new PDF ebook “PR Rainmaker,” visit www.prrainmaker.com.