1. What are you presenting that is new, original, fresh, that nobody knew before?
2. Are you sure it is new? (Google!)
3. Can you write a Bloomberg 4-paragraph lead? If not, why not?
4. What is your main factual claim in a single sentence? (your “top line” – although not always your intro/ first line)
5. Can you write a strong headline in 62 characters?
6. Have you included the who what where when why? (if they
are necessary)
7. Is there a nutshell paragraph? So what? Why is this important?
8. Your evidence – what is it?
9. Your sources – are there more than one? Are they reliable?
10. Numbers – are they in context?
11. Have you “done your homework”? (i.e. Googled the subject
to death)
12. Have you picked up the phone?
13. Quotes – are there any? And are they relevant?
14. Who is the audience? Who is interested?
15. When is this story relevant? Does it have a “shelf life”? Is there a “news peg”?