News is something that catches people’s attention and holds it. It can be hard news, soft news or features. It might be about a big event or something that has happened recently or in the past. It can also be about the weather, sport, celebrity or fashion. News is often published in print, but it can also be broadcast on television and radio. People usually read newspapers, watch TV and listen to radio for their news. Some of the most popular types of news stories are war, crime, politics, business and health.
What is newsworthy varies from one society to another. In general, things that are unusual and unexpected make the news. However, some things are not newsworthy at all unless they affect a large number of people. Some examples of this include food shortages, crop diseases and disasters like earthquakes. Money is always interesting, and newsworthy items can include fortunes made and lost, school fees, the Budget, taxes, food prices, wage rises, compensation claims and economic crises.
Many different factors determine whether a story becomes newsworthy, including how important it is, who is involved, what the impact of the event or situation will be and how easily the information can be verified. Newspapers tend to report only the major events and to present them in detail, while TV and radio focus more on human interest stories. In addition, the way a story is presented can be influenced by who is paying for it. Advertisers pay a great deal of money to be aired during news programs, and they are often interested in the type of audience that a particular station can attract. This makes the news producers focus on producing news that appeals to as wide a market as possible.
As well as the influence of advertisers, there are a number of other factors that determine what is and is not newsworthy. These include:
People are very interested in their own lives and, as such, will tend to be more interested in their neighbours’. This means that neighbours’ illnesses, accidents and weddings will be reported. People will also be more interested in a story that affects them directly, for example a flood or hurricane.
In addition, some factors are based on the prevailing culture. For example, some cultures value a good, clean image, while others do not. In the end, it is impossible to produce 100 percent unbiased news, but the best way to understand how these factors affect our views of the world around us is to tune in to a variety of media sources. This will help you to gain a broader perspective and might even change the way you see the world. The final section of this LAMPLit contains a list of additional resources that you can use to explore news further. This can be helpful for your research, writing or teaching.