News is information about events that are new and interesting. It may be broadcast on television or radio, printed in newspapers or posted online. It could also be a story told by a friend or even something yelled across the schoolyard. News can be current – happening now, or recently – or historical, such as the discovery of a long-lost treasure. News can be controversial or amusing. It can inform or entertain, although the job of news is primarily to educate its audience.
A news article should start with a title and a short introduction that explains the topic. Then it should describe what the news is about in a few words, and then list all of the sources that were used to gather the information. In journalism, this is called a “works cited” page.
The news media can be a very powerful tool for social change. It can influence the opinions of the people who read or hear it and can even influence the behavior of politicians, activists and others in power. However, it is important to remember that the news media is a business and must make money. This means that they will often focus on stories that are exciting or sensational, such as violence and scandal.
It is also important to note that just because an event makes news does not mean it is worthy of being reported on. For example, a man who wakes up, goes to work on his bus, and comes home again is not newsworthy because it is an everyday occurrence that does not have any effect on the world around him. It is not the job of the news media to report on mundane events unless they are unusual or affect the majority of a community.
The type of news that is considered to be valuable varies from society to society. For example, a cow and pig that died in the same farm accident might be newsworthy in one society but not in another, because of their relative importance to each other. Likewise, the level of interest in famous people varies from society to society, as does the amount of interest in health, hospitals and clinics, drugs, diet and exercise. All societies, however, have an interest in sex stories involving behaviour that falls outside of generally accepted norms.
It is good to follow a few different news outlets and to share and discuss news articles on social media. But it is important to balance the hard-hitting news with positive sources of light and levity, such as The Good News Movement and Tank’s Good News. This will help you to sift through the noise and focus on the things that matter most.