Here’s the cold, hard truth. Not every piece of company news is going to make it on air, in print or even onto a reporter’s radar. Your office renovation, that charity golf foursome you sponsored or the new limited-time coupon code might feel groundbreaking inside your walls. To the outside world, not so much.

That’s because news is about what matters to the audience, not what matters to you. The media’s job is to deliver stories that their readers, viewers and listeners will actually care about. The secret to PR success lies in understanding what makes something newsworthy and how to position your story so it captures attention.

Let’s dig into the five elements of newsworthiness that journalists use when deciding if your story makes the cut.

Timeliness: Strike While It’s Hot

There is a reason it’s called “news” and not “olds.” Journalists are drawn to stories that feel urgent and immediate, with the kind of updates that audiences need to know today. A product launch announced weeks after it happened is stale. That ribbon-cutting your business had last week? It’s now an afterthought. Reporters are looking for stories with a clear sense of “now,” with elements that can be pegged to the present moment and still matter tomorrow morning.

The smartest companies plan ahead with their PR strategies, aligning their announcements with cultural or seasonal moments to maximize their relevance. A new sustainability program will land stronger around Earth Day, just as a hospitality story will play better when travel demand peaks in summer. Timeliness is not only about speed but also strategy. You need to connect your story to the conversations already happening in the world and position it as part of a larger moment. Otherwise, you risk being yesterday’s leftovers in a newsroom that only serves what is fresh.

If you’re not sure whether your timing is right, ask yourself: “Would I care about this if it happened a month ago?” If the answer is no, chances are reporters won’t either.

Proximity: Make it Matter Locally

People care most about what happens closest to them. A new development downtown will be a bigger story for local readers than a similar project in another state, even if the scale is smaller. Journalists know their audiences crave stories that affect their daily lives and communities, which is why proximity remains one of the most important criteria for newsworthiness.

Companies often miss this point when they try to push a national story into local media, or vice versa, without tailoring the angle. Reporters are not interested in generic announcements that could happen anywhere. They are interested in how your news impacts their city, their neighborhoods and their audience. The lesson here is simple: zoom in. If your story creates jobs, changes traffic patterns, revitalizes a block or contributes to the local economy, highlight those details that matter to the audience.

Conflict and Controversy: Don’t Be Afraid of Tension

It is no secret that drama draws attention. Conflict, debate and controversy are the engines that keep newsrooms running because they illuminate differences, highlight challenges and raise the stakes. Audiences lean in when there is a problem to be solved or a debate to be had. That does not mean your company needs to manufacture scandal, but it does mean you should not shy away from tension in your storytelling.

Ask yourself: what challenges are you tackling? What industry problem are you disrupting? How is your work changing the way things have always been done? A story framed around overcoming obstacles is infinitely more compelling than a simple product upgrade or internal achievement.

Journalists are always looking for the stakes, the human or societal cost behind the news. If your announcement can show the tension it addresses or the controversy it is part of, you move from being another corporate press release to being part of a conversation people actually care about.

Human Interest: Put People at the Center

At the end of the day, audiences are wired to connect with people, not brands. Human interest is about finding the personal stories behind your company’s work and letting them shine. Whether it is an employee’s triumph, a customer’s transformation or a community member impacted by your initiative, these are the details that tug at heartstrings and make people care.

Think about the difference between “Company launches new training program” and “Single mom re-enters the workforce through company’s new training program.” One is a corporate press release designed to make the business look good, the other is a story that creates empathy and connection. Journalists know this instinctively, which is why they often look past the press release and ask, “Who is affected by this? Who does this matter to?” If you want your story to land, make those details clear. Put faces, voices and experiences at the forefront. Your brand may be the backdrop, but people are always the headline.

Relevance: Answer the Question, “So What?”

A story can be timely and local, but if it does not matter to the intended audience, it will not get picked up. Reporters are gatekeepers of relevance, constantly weighing which stories will provide the most value to their readers, viewers or listeners. That value might look like information, guidance, inspiration or entertainment.

The challenge is that relevance is not one-size-fits-all. What matters to a trade publication will not necessarily matter to a lifestyle magazine, and what matters to a business outlet may not interest a TV morning show. That is why tailoring your message to the outlet and journalist is so critical. If you are pitching a business story, focus on economic impact and innovation. If you are pitching a lifestyle angle, emphasize experiences, culture and benefits to daily life. By answering the “so what” question from the audience’s perspective, you transform your company’s news into something that feels indispensable instead of self promotional.

What’s Not Newsworthy (And Why That Matters)

Not everything deserves media attention. Some stories belong on your social media feed or in an email newsletter, not in a newsroom. Small giveaways, closed-door events, seasonal discounts and sponsorship announcements rarely meet the threshold of newsworthiness. That does not make these messages unimportant; it simply makes them a poor fit for earned media!

Understanding this distinction is crucial. Too many companies flood journalists with announcements that should have been handled through owned or paid channels. The result is fatigue, frustration and in some cases, a burned bridge with key media contacts. Respecting what is newsworthy and what is not makes your pitches stronger, your media relationships healthier and your chances of landing real coverage much higher.

The Bottom Line

Even when you do everything right, PR is still an unpredictable business. A story that checks every box can be bumped at the last minute because of breaking news. An editor may decide it does not align with their vision. Sometimes the volume of competing pitches simply drowns yours out. And sometimes what feels like “big news” inside your organization simply does not translate to the outside world.

Media relations strategies are not about stretching the truth or overhyping small wins. It is about learning to think like a journalist and positioning your story through the lens of timeliness, proximity, conflict, human interest and relevance. Not every update will pass that test. The key is knowing which stories deserve a pitch to the press and which should live on your own channels.

Want help figuring out what makes your business newsworthy? We’re here to help. Reach out and take your first step toward an effective PR strategy.