Apart from the obvious ‘wow’ stories, I think that if there is any method in story selection, it’s a learned institutional process, and at times there is a methodical non-method when selection of news is based on the availibility of resources, time pressure, the interests of a particular news editor, ease of access — ‘we’ll use PA/PR/wires’ etc. Some editors nevertheless continue to place faith in their ability to make what they see as objective news judgements — and they have to, in order to justify their editorial decisions.

We can only benefit from hearing stories and news selections from people who are outside of the ‘news factory’, which is why blogs are so important to the future of media and perhaps why, as a recently qualified MA journalism student, I’m already thinking about whether my future lies within a traditional news organisation.

I also wonder whether it’s true that organisations (and other journalists) will only select those who look and think like themselves. It may take some time but once an organisation realises that it needs people with different skills if it is to change and survive then it will actively seek them out.