No matter what method of delivery a student journalist uses, newsworthy journalistic pieces need to have a strong impact upon the audience. 

It’s critical that student journalists ask themselves if a potential story will affect audience members’ lives. And, it certainly doesn’t hurt to toss in a question like, “How many audience members will be impacted by this story?” 

For example, a student journalist discovered that because of budgetary concerns due to funding cuts, the school is considering an across-the-board price increase on all school lunch items next school year. This potential price increase will impact every student who purchases school lunch items. It also impacts any of their family members who need to budget for such increases. 

This story has a far-reaching impact. Remember actions or events that can potentially shake-up your audience members’ lives are impactful and newsworthy. 

It’s also important to remember that the more people who are affected, the greater the impact the story will have. 

While a story about a school cutting funds to a 12-member Ecology Club is something a student journalist may want to pursue, it may not have as strong or far-reaching of an impact as the previously mentioned school lunch price increase story. 

If a publication chose to run both stories, don’t be shocked if the school lunch story takes top billing with the Ecology Club story taking a little less of the limelight. 

That certainly doesn’t mean the Ecology Club story doesn’t matter, it just means it has less of an impact on the audience because less people are directly affected by the budget cuts the small club faces. 

The next time you plot story ideas for your next pitch meeting, consider the information in this article. Ask yourself some of the questions covered here to see how strong of an impact the story you pitch will have on your audience. 

Also, feel free to download or screenshot the PDF to help in your journalistic endeavors. Just click here: Impact = Newsworthy