What Makes Something Newsworthy vs. Sensational?

We live in a time where the line between news and sensationalism feels super blurry. Scroll through social media, and you’ll see a mix of important stories and over-the-top headlines designed to grab attention. So what actually makes something newsworthy instead of just sensational?

To me, newsworthy stories have real impact. They inform people about things that genuinely matter, issues that affect communities, industries, or the world in a meaningful way. Whether it’s a breakthrough in technology, an important policy change, or a local event that brings people together, news should provide value.

Sensational stories, on the other hand, rely on shock factor. They’re designed to trigger a strong emotional response, anger, fear, excitement, often without much substance behind them. They might take a small detail and blow it out of proportion just to drive clicks and engagement.

As someone working in digital content, I think a big responsibility comes with creating and sharing stories. Whether it’s about photography, creativity, or social media, I want to focus on content that’s meaningful rather than just attention-grabbing.

What do you think? How do you tell the difference between real news and something that’s just there to stir up reactions?