By: Mohit Hira, Jargon Group Dubai
I read several headlines about businesses every day. However, not all of them seem to have a positive impact. I believe that before distributing their story to the media, organisations need to understand whether their story is really good news or not. The question is: what makes a story newsworthy? The answer lies in understanding the value the audience will gain from a story and the perception it will shape in their mind.
Organisations must focus on stories that offer genuine value to their target audience, rather than coming across as overly promotional or sales-driven. At the same time, it’s important to recognise that not every news story is worth sharing. Businesses must carefully evaluate and filter their narratives to avoid potential negative repercussions.
All news is not good news
A poorly chosen news story can do more harm than just straining media relationships - it can lead to far-reaching consequences. It can result in reputational damage, social backlash, loss of stakeholder trust and even financial or legal repercussions that hinder business growth.
Businesses must be mindful of their stories and evaluate them thoroughly. While evaluating whether their story is newsworthy enough, companies must take a structured approach: identify the story’s value to the target audience, anticipate stakeholder reactions, and determine why media outlets would want to cover it. Asking these questions before publishing a story can help organisations protect their reputation, maintain audience trust, and ensure their narratives deliver real impact.
Identifying the right news story vs making a story newsworthy
The ability to distinguish between identifying the right news story and making a story newsworthy is key and for both, the core focus should be to provide value and insights. Businesses should analyse events, milestones, or achievements that carry value for their target audience. For example, a story about an innovative product launch, a major partnership or attendance at a key tradeshow can be considered newsworthy.
Meanwhile, making a story newsworthy requires creativity and strategic storytelling that can frame a message to align it with what the target audience and media care about. Even a small story can be made newsworthy if strategically aligned with a wider conversational topic or ongoing trend. For example, a small advancement in RFID technology can be tied to the ongoing issue of retail theft, demonstrating how tech can be helpful. Ultimately, it’s all about the narrative you tie with your story.
A news story can make or break the reputation of a business. Partnering with an experienced public relations (PR) agency can be effective as PR professionals have the expertise to evaluate, refine, and amplify the message of a story to the right audiences.