ABSTRACT
By its nature, news focuses on unique occurrences—the latest details and newest revelations about what's going on in the world. But some news stories are extraordinary. They come at people in bold type on newspapers, flashing graphics on television, and now in interactive digital forms fueled by digital sources. Theoretically, the sort of analysis considers journalism as a performative discourse, and news stories as locations where journalists display the power they have in society—such as their power to report and investigate facts, and the power news stories have in depicting society. In both positive and negative lights, journalistic identities are shown in these narratives to be composed of many things, including contradictions; balancing noble societal purpose, alongside a gritty "rat up the drainpipe" investigative fervor. As stories go, news stories are a particular type with particular narratives. While some characters are prominent, and others hide in the background, people are nevertheless made aware of the parts each plays.
