What term describes the standard criteria for the elements that make up a story?

• A. Newsworthy
• B. Timely
• C. Accurate
• D. Relevant

Answer: (A)

Newsworthiness describes the standard criteria editors use to decide if a story has enough public interest to publish. It’s the umbrella idea that captures what makes the elements of a story worth covering—things like timeliness, impact, proximity, prominence, and human interest all feed into whether something is deemed worth reporting. While being timely, accurate, or relevant are important qualities for any piece, they are factors that contribute to newsworthiness rather than the overall gatekeeping standard itself. So the term that best fits “the standard criteria for the elements that make up a story” is newsworthy.