What Is News?
Written by
News is the information that is current and interesting, obtained from every moment and everywhere. It is conveyed to the public through various media. News includes stories about people and places, events and things that affect a person or society.
People are interested in what is happening in their world, whether it is about a celebrity’s lifestyle or the weather. The way that the story is told is also important, for example how violent and scandalous an event might be, or how familiar it is to a reader or listener. These factors influence what is deemed to be important and newsworthy, and determine the content of a news story.
The purpose of a news story is to inform and educate readers, listeners or viewers. This is done by presenting the facts about an event and allowing them to form their own opinions about it. Sometimes the news is also intended to amuse – for example, music and drama programs on television or radio; and crosswords and cartoons in newspapers.
In order to be a good journalist, it is important to have an awareness of the effects that bias can have on news reports. Everyone has biases, whether they are conscious or unconscious, and they can influence what is regarded as newsworthy and how it is presented. Having an awareness of the effect of bias can help a journalist to be more objective when reporting and writing news stories.
Generally, the more controversial a news story is, the more likely it is to be reported. This is because the more shocking it is, the more interest it will generate, and the more it will be shared on social media. However, it is important that news is reported in a way that is not offensive or derogatory to the subject matter, as this can cause offence and lead to negative social impact.
It is important to keep up to date with the latest news, as this can affect a person’s daily life. For example, if there are political decisions made in your city that impact you negatively, it is important to know about these in advance, so that you can voice your opinion or take action accordingly. Similarly, it is important to be aware of diseases that may be spreading in your area.
The main sources for news include newspapers, radio, television and the Internet. Newspapers are a good source of local and regional news, as well as national and international news. Some of the most well-known news outlets are The New York Times, CNN, Reuters, and the BBC. The BBC is a great option for those who want to avoid biased news, as it is publicly funded and has a long history of accurate reporting. However, even these reputable news outlets are not completely free of bias. In addition to the aforementioned, there are also many independent news websites with varying degrees of impartiality. The website AllSides has a crowd-sourced bias rating for each of these, which is useful for making comparisons and selecting the most trustworthy news sources.