Peirspictiochtai Ar An Saol
Zero-Based News
Part Twenty-Three
In addition to providing the information needed by their readers, viewers, and listeners, news entities following the strategy of Zero-Based News provide the information wanted by their readers, viewers, and listeners.
The information people "want" can be very different from the information people "need."
The strategic steps of implementing Zero-Based News include using a blank spreadsheet to list all of the types of information that are wanted by the audience.
In preparing this spreadsheet, initially use broad strokes in listing the categories of information wanted. Once the key categories are listed, then list specific aspects of information that the audience wants to know.
While the information wanted will vary depending on the audience, there will be overlaps in some areas.
For example, let's take a news entity that focuses on a specific geographic area.
Consider three subjects: sports, obituaries, and entertainment.
These subjects are ones where information may not typically be needed by the audience in a geographic area; the exceptions are those directly involved.
For example, players of sports, family members of deceased individuals, and businesses involved in entertaining people.
Information about these three subjects, though, is typically wanted by the audience in a geographic area.
Consider sports.
Many people love sports. Some as players. Some as coaches. Some as family members and friends of players and coaches.
Some love watching sports. Perhaps for the thrills. Perhaps because of gambling – either a handshake bet with a friend or a parlay on a digital platform.
While sports – as well as obituaries and entertainment – may be obvious subjects that the audience wants information on, there may likely be a wider range of subjects for which the audience would want information from a news entity focused on a geographic area.
To determine which subjects are "wants," entities following the strategies of Zero-Based News would look to the past to answer the following questions: What subjects attract interest from the audience? What subjects attract interest to other news entities serving the same or similar audiences? What subjects do people talk and text about in their everyday lives?
News entities may also want to consider asking the audience what subjects are of interest.
Subjects can be added – or deleted – to the spreadsheet, depending on the interest of the audience.
Once a core group of subjects is detailed, entities following the strategies of Zero-Based News would determine what details in each subject are important to the audience.
For example, in the sports category, a news entity may list such items as the names and backgrounds of each member of each sports team that the audience in their geographic area is interested in.
With those details, individual news pieces would be produced in formats that would inform members of the audience on subjects of interest to them.
These techniques would allow entities following the strategies of Zero-Based News to provide the information wanted by their readers, viewers, and listeners.
The next news column in this series will focus on how Zero-Based News would provide the information that would bring smiles to its readers, viewers, and listeners.
Peirspictiochtai Ar A Saol – Gaelic – Irish – for "Perspectives On Life" is a column focused on aspects of accountability and responsibility as well as ways people look at life.
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