What Is News?

News is any current event, incident or piece of information that is noteworthy. News is usually reported in a newspaper, radio or television but can also be conveyed via the Internet.

Traditionally, the major news media has concentrated on big events and people. These days, a lot of smaller news organizations exist. Some of these are specialized in a particular subject area and can be of interest to a specific community.

There are many different categories of News, ranging from entertainment news to breaking news and scholarly perspectives on historical topics. The key is to find a balance between getting your news from a variety of sources and making sure you don’t oversaturate yourself with it. Too much news can make you burnt out and unable to function as an effective citizen.

To be newsworthy, a story must be new, unusual, interesting and significant. It must also involve the power elite and be about people.

Timeliness is a driving factor in news, which means that the more recent an event is, the more likely it is to be reported. However, it is important to remember that even a long-term news item can be considered newsworthy if some aspect of it becomes known for the first time.

Other factors in determining whether a story is newsworthy include its scope and impact. Larger news items are of more interest to the general public than a small local matter. Stories about sex, showbusiness, sport and lighter human interest are of interest to many, as are animal stories and those with a humorous treatment or witty headline.