News is any information that affects a group of people in a specific way. It is reported by journalists, who may work for newspapers or magazines, television channels, radio stations or websites. The term is often used to refer to current events, but it can also be applied to historical or cultural stories.
It is important to be informed about News because it can influence your everyday life. Decisions made by local politicians, for example, will likely impact how you live. However, it is equally important to have a critical eye when reading the news, especially when it comes from social media or a website that has a particular point of view.
A news story is about something that has happened recently and which is significant to the public. It is usually written about people, but it can also be about things such as weather conditions, animals, natural disasters, political events or international issues.
While many theories attempt to define what makes a story newsworthy, researchers have tended to focus on the concept of ‘news-ness’. This approach capitalizes on the idea that people have a gut feeling about what is or is not newsworthy. It suggests that a story is newsworthy if it meets at least five criteria: it must be new, unusual, interesting, significant and about people.
The Pew Research Center has a helpful article about what makes news. The article provides a detailed list of the elements that make up a news story.
