| This case study examined how 11 news managers, reporters, and producers in a local medium-large market commercial television newsroom conceptualized the newsworthiness of potential stories, and if market pressures influenced this. This study used qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate use of newsworthiness inside this newsroom during a two-week period. Domain analysis of interviews and observations of story selection meetings allowed native terminology and definitions of newsworthiness to emerge. Account analysis established if participants perceived certain criteria as market driven (qualities believed to increase audience) or socially significant (qualities concerned with informing the public), and whether they sensed that management maintained a preference between the two. The Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) established if staff member commitment to the organization correlated with agreement regarding perceived managerial vision of newsworthiness.; The study provided several conclusions. Traditional newsworthiness criteria were found instrumental in the story selection process; most terms derived from domain analysis corresponded with existing criteria. This study determined, however, that participants operated according to more terms than established in previous studies of television news. Participants used standards perceived as particularly beneficial to television news. These criteria indicated a preference for stories that could: showcase emotional interview subjects (emotion); air exclusively on that station (exclusivity); appeal to a desirable demographic in the viewing area (hot zips); be produced that day (turnablity); and include strong visual elements (visual).; Account analysis revealed that staff members believed managers held market-driven news values in higher esteem than socially significant criteria. The study determined OCQ was a good predictor of participant perceptions about story selection in this newsroom, though not necessarily of actions in meetings. Staff members registering higher OCQ scores were inclined to agree with managerial vision of story selection and acted accordingly in story meetings. Staff members scoring lower largely disagreed with management, yet frequently complied in meetings.; This study produced a preliminary story selection model. In this model newsworthiness was viewed by participants as a requisite element of selection, however, managerial influence, the conditions of the day, and projected outcome of the finished product also played crucial roles in determining story selection. |
