Dissecting crime news: capturing the value of stories / Sharon Wilson, Faridah Ibrahim.

The study explored factors which make up news values in reference to various
literature and scholars specifically in crime news reporting by Jewkes (2004)
the researcher discovered various expected similarities and examined the
criteria for crime news story selection in the Malaysian scenario. Using
qualitative research methods applied to two prominent case studies and
deriving crucial information from crime reporters through in-depth interviews,
the study discovers that all crime stories are considered of importance but the
severity of a crime defines news values and this is what ensures a story is
selected. In terms of factors which affects news values, it can be said that the
reporters assumption of what entails impact and of interest to the readers are
what generally influences news values as well and to the fact that only if a
story lacks major information and confirmation from reliable source that the
story will not be done as the story does not have value. This social significance
is important and is used to perceive connection to society where importance
and impact play a vital role in deciding stories of value. Crime news has the
opportunity to not only function as a communicative tool for society but
communicates to society about everything representative of a criminal, the
portrayal of threats, supporting responses, building norms and values whilst
warning the public about the consequences of deviance and this can be clearly
seen as an important reason to the affect it has on news values.