Ask HN: Guidelines: what is 'an interesting new phenomenon'?

The Hacker News guidelines list as off-topic, "Most stories about politics, or crime, or sports, unless they're evidence of some interesting new phenomenon. " So -- what do you think does (or doesn't) qualify as an interesting new phenomenon in politics, crime (not sure why that item's there, to be honest) or sports? The guidelines also state "If they'd cover it on TV news, it's probably off-topic." If said phenomenon does qualify, but is on television, is it on-topic? Or should we read these guidelines as a general ban on politics, crime, or sports, with an escape clause for if something happens to arise within the context of an on-topic subject?