News Arithmetic
March 16, 20091 ordinary man + 1 ordinary life = 0
1 ordinary man + 1 extraordinary adventure = News
1 ordinary husband + 1 ordinary wife = 0
1 husband + 3 wives = News
1 bank cashier + 1 wife + 7 children = 0
1 bank cashier – $10,000 = News
1 chorus girl + 1 bank president – $100,000 = News
1 man + 1 auto + 1 gun + 1 quart = News
1 man + 1 achievement = News
1 ordinary man + 1 ordinary life of 79 years = 0
1 ordinary man + 1 ordinary life of 100 years = News
By George C Bastian From: G. C. Bastian and Leland D. Case, Editing the Day’s News, p. 19, 1932, as quoted in: New Survey of Journalism. ibid., p. 57
