Peirspictiochtai Ar An Saol
Zero-Based News
Part Twenty-Two
News entities following the strategy of Zero-Based News provide the information needed by their readers, viewers, and listeners.
The strategic steps of implementing Zero-Based News are as follows:
Using a blank spreadsheet, list all of the types of information that are needed by the audience in their day-to-day lives as well as for their long-term planning.
In preparing this spreadsheet, initially use broad strokes in listing the categories of information needed. Once the key categories are listed, then list specific aspects of information that the audience needs to know in their day-to-day lives as well as for their long-term planning.
While the information needed will vary depending on the audience, there will be overlaps in many areas.
For example, let's take a news entity that focuses on a specific geographic area.
An example of a specific category where the audience needs to know information involves the governmental entities within the specific geographic area. The following questions need to be answered as part of Zero-Based News:
What governmental entities impact the lives of the members of the audience? What governmental entities levy taxes? What governmental entities charge fees for specific products and services? What governmental entities mandate the use of specific entities for the consumption of specific products and services?
The news entities need to know the answers to develop further questions that flow from those answers. For example, let's take the first question: What governmental entities impact the lives of the members of the audience? Further questions would include:
What are the names of the governmental entities that impact the lives of the members of the audience? What geographic areas do each of those governmental entities govern? How do these governmental entities affect members of the audience? What services and/or products do these governmental entities provide to members of the audience?
What are the contact details – street addresses, postal addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers, office hours, and other items – for each of those governmental entities? Who are the leaders of those governmental entities? What are the contact details – street addresses, postal addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers, and other items – for those leaders? Who are the individuals to contact at these governmental entities in times of emergencies or distress? What are the contact details – street addresses, postal addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers, and other items – for those individuals?
Additional questions flow that need to be answered for the audience to be kept informed on news that affects them. These additional questions would include:
When do these governmental entities have public meetings? When do these governmental entities have executive meetings? How do members of the audience attend meetings? How do members of the audience provide their views to the governmental entities? What are the minutes – text, audio, and/or video – of past meetings? What are the agendas for future meetings?
With the answers to all of these questions, news entities following the strategies of Zero-Based News would present the information in formats that would assist members of the audience.
For example, a news entity that focuses on a specific geographic area could include the following news about a local board of education:
Name of School District "A"
Names, contact information, and further details on each member of the Board of Education for School District "A"
Names, contact information, and further details on each key administrator within School District "A"
Schedule of meetings of the Board of Education for School District "A"
Minutes – text, audio, and/or video – of previous meetings of the Board of Education for School District "A"
Reports – text, audio, and/or video – previously issued by School District "A"
Agenda for an upcoming meeting of the Board of Education for School District "A"
Details on how to attend an upcoming meeting of the Board of Education for School District "A"
Details on how to provide testimony or other information at an upcoming meeting of the Board of Education for School District "A"
Individual news pieces would then develop out of this information.
For example, the following questions could form the basis of subjects for news pieces:
How does the Board of Education of School District "A" allocate funds to pay for the operations of the school district? Do the administrators of School District "A" follow the budget when actually spending monies allocated for specific operations? What entities receive funds from School District "A"? How does School District "A" determine what entities to utilize for specific operations of the school district? Are there private relationships between members of the Board of Education of School District "A" and the entities utilized for specific operations of the school district? If so, are those private relationships disclosed and detailed?
As part of Zero-Based News, the same techniques would be employed to detail information on each governmental entity within the specific geographic area.
The same techniques would be employed to detail information on each category that is needed by the audience in their day-to-day lives as well as for their long-term planning.
The same techniques would then provide subjects for individual news pieces that would then be able to be developed out of this information.
These techniques would allow entities following the strategies of Zero-Based News to provide the information needed by their readers, viewers, and listeners.
The next news column in this series will focus on how Zero-Based News would provide the information wanted by 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.
Contact Richard McDonough at
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