News is information about events, people or things that are new, unusual, interesting and significant. The news is usually reported in a newspaper, on radio or television, but it can also be delivered via the internet. The aim of news is to inform, educate and entertain. Entertainment can come from other areas of the media – music and drama on radio, cartoons and crosswords in newspapers – but in general news is expected to be serious and factual.
Traditionally, the classic definition of news was “Dog bites man”. It is now accepted that this is no longer a useful definition. Instead, it is more important to look at what is new, what is unusual, what is interesting or what is significant.
Events that are not new or unusual may still be newsworthy if they are particularly relevant to a certain audience. For example, a scientific discovery may be significant but not newsworthy if it is only of interest to a small number of scientists or enthusiasts. However, if the discovery is of the kind of plant that a large number of people in a particular country consume for food then it is likely to be newsworthy.
In addition, some news stories are deemed to be ‘bad’ or ‘good’ and these will have an impact on the audience. It is important that journalists avoid bias and report facts without any personal opinion or agenda. This can be difficult, especially when the subject is controversial or emotive. Journalists are often expected to try and cover all sides of an issue, and many broadcasters impose a legal requirement on news programmes of impartiality.
