News and the People it Affects
- gpeavler1
- Jun 21, 2024
- 1 min read
A common thread I noticed in comparing several front-page papers across time and subject is that modern newspapers’ front-page story will be structured with an image at center focus, and at center focus within that image is more often than not people. Either the people that created the news-worthy event, or people reacting to it. If there is a picture of rubble in a story about war, it will show people walking amongst it, if there are reports of a flood, there are pictures of the relief efforts as well as people playing near the water. I think this focus is to quickly condense the news into something we as humans can empathize with, and quite literally humanizes grand world events. It also makes an otherwise impartial reality into a story with characters, and allows readers to relate to the people affected by the headline. Brook Zimmatore, in an article about putting humanity back into overwhelming information, writes:“Writers aren't robots. Behind their ideas, philosophies, or leadership methodologies are stories. Humanizing content means tapping into these stories and using them to build a relationship with the reader. People have an innate desire to relate to others, but that isn't cultivated by chance. It's good storytelling that boosts relatability in a piece of writing.”
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