3.

Question 1

What are the critical elements of news?

Answer 1

The critical elements of news include proximity, novelty or oddity, personal impact, timeliness, size, and media policy.

Question 2

What is proximity in news?

Answer 2

Proximity, also known as nearness, refers to how close a news event is to the audience and its potential impact on their lives.

Example: News of flooding in Ogunpa River in Ibadan has more impact on local residents than a plane crash in Oklahoma, USA.

Question 3

What does novelty or oddity mean in news?

Answer 3

Novelty or oddity refers to news that is unusual or out of the ordinary, which tends to attract more interest.

Example: ‘Man fights dog’ is more interesting than ‘Man fights neighbour’ due to its oddity.

Question 4

What is personal impact in news?

Answer 4

Personal impact indicates the degree to which news affects specific individuals or communities, often increasing interest in the story.

Example: News about police brutality in Ikorodu is of greater interest to local residents.

Question 5

What types of stories typically arouse personal interest?

Answer 5

Stories that arouse personal interest often include crime, conflict, accidents, violence, robbery, fire, health, weather, and celebrity lifestyles.

Question 6

Can a news story depict more than one element of news?

Answer 6

Yes, some news stories can be viewed from multiple perspectives, combining elements like oddity and personal impact.

Example: The story of church members beating up a pastor for a fee combines oddity and personal impact.

Question 7

What does timeliness refer to in news?

Answer 7

Timeliness refers to the newness or freshness of news, answering the question: ‘When did it happen?’

Question 8

How does modern communication affect news transmission?

Answer 8

Modern communication speeds up the rate of news transmission, with electronic media having an advantage over print media in terms of timeliness.

Question 9

What question does size answer in news reporting?

Answer 9

Size answers the question ‘What?’ regarding the scope of the news reported.

Question 10

What makes a news story considered ‘big’?

Answer 10

A news story is considered ‘big’ if it affects the lives of many citizens, such as the outcome of a general election.

Question 11

How can size determine the ‘Who’ of a story?

Answer 11

Size can also answer the ‘Who’ of a story, as in news about important personalities like the President or international figures.

Question 12

What factors can determine the size of a news story?

Answer 12

The size of a story may be determined by figures, such as the number of people or the sum of money involved.

Question 13

What is media policy?

Answer 13

Media policy varies from one media outfit to another and influences what news is considered important.

Question 14

What factors influence media policy?

Answer 14

Media policy is influenced by the aims and objectives of the media house, the type of society, goals of the media house, and ownership.

Question 15

What are the three categories of news sources?

Answer 15

The three categories of news sources are predictable sources, anticipated sources, and unpredictable sources.

Question 16

What are predictable sources of news?

Answer 16

Predictable sources regularly provide information and include news agency reports and governmental bodies like the executive, judiciary, and legislature.

Question 17

What are some examples of published reports?

Answer 17

Published reports include reports of panels of inquiry, births and death notices, letters to newspaper editors, advertisements, and prepared speeches.

Question 18

What are anticipated sources of news?

Answer 18

Anticipated sources of news are planned events that reporters know will definitely happen, such as Independence/National Day celebrations, Workers’ Day, Democracy Day, Children’s Day, Elections, and Presidential Inaugurations.

Question 19

What is an example of an anticipated news event?

Answer 19

‘First Baby of the Year’ is an example of an anticipated news event.

Question 20

What are unpredictable sources of news?

Answer 20

Unpredictable sources of news are events that happen suddenly and become instant news, requiring a reporter’s ability to quickly recognize and report them.

Question 21

What does ‘nosing for news’ mean?

Answer 21

‘Nosing for news’ refers to a reporter’s ability to understand the nature and value of news and recognize it as soon as it breaks.

Question 22

Is ‘nosing for news’ an in-born ability?

Answer 22

‘Nosing for news’ is not in-born; it must be acquired, developed, and improved upon with time and experience.

Question 23

How can good reporters obtain news tips?

Answer 23

Good reporters can get news tips from friends, neighbors, and acquaintances.

Question 24

What is cyclical news?

Answer 24

Cyclical news refers to repetitive events that always happen, which reporters can anticipate.

Question 25

What skills are necessary for print media reporters?

Answer 25

Necessary skills for print media reporters include listening, observing, searching, and interviewing.

Question 26

What role do language skills play in print media writing?

Answer 26

Language skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening are crucial for effective print media writing.