An article published online by CBS news titled 'Michelle Obama's Fashion Home Run’ reminded me about the idea of ‘newsworthiness.” The textbook describes newsworthiness as the evaluation of news or events based on seven different criterions which include timeliness, proximity, conflict, impact, prominence, currency, and uniqueness (68-69). This article focuses on how fashionable the First Lady is. This seemed extremely un-newsworthy to me. However, upon further examination I was able to see how this article did in fact meet some of the criteria for newsworthiness.
The article was timely, had prominence, and currency. ‘Michelle Obama’s Fashion Home Run’ was published on the CBS website four days after the event and the first lady was said to have appeared at the event looking like “a budding fashion icon.” As the wife of the President Michelle Obama is a prominent figure which means that even if the story met no other criteria it is likely to be published as she is a well known and popular public figure which draws interest from the general public. As not only the wife of the President but the first ‘black’ President stories about the Obama family are of current interest to the public. The audience is interested in stories about Michelle which means that articles concerning her address the currency criterion.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I saw a very similar article about Michelle Obama and it just always makes me laugh at how much focus has been put on the first lady being stylish and having a nice home or decorations in the White House. It seems like it always portrays the first lady as a “Martha Stewart” or women’s magazine reading female, without focusing on their own priorities and accomplishments. I think it’s funny that in a society that is all about empowering women and looking at how to take them out of society gendered prescriptions, we always seem to make the first lady a celebrity of sorts based on these very gender stereotypical roles and interests.
ReplyDeleteThis seems like all the articles I see on yahoo.com and makes me roll my eyes, articles that place huge emphasis on actors and actresses clothing at the academy awards or even a viral video of a narcoleptic cat. But people are more concerned with whats relevent with them in their lives, what they find more interesting. And I think that is where Prominence and Currency come into affect. Even Jackie Kennedy was considered a fashion icon. Our society does this and will continue to do this because it brings in money. I think that's why the U.S. media is a business first and an outlet of information second.
ReplyDeleteIt never ceases to amaze me what the media finds important to frame and for the public to see. Here there are a million issues going on in the world, and they decided to write about how fashion conscious or lackthereof the first lady is—is simply insanity to me. I would understand a bit more if this was on a People Magazine website…but it’s not. It is on CBS, which (for better or worse) is a station known for its news. It also appears that they want to take the focus away from her being the first lady, and make the focus of her to be her fashion.
ReplyDelete