News is the kind of information that we read in newspapers or magazines, watch on TV, listen to on the radio and find on the Internet. It is information about events and people that are happening in the world around us.
It is a form of media message that has an informative, entertaining and persuasive value.
There are many different types of news, but there are some common characteristics that all news stories share. These characteristics are called news values and can help you to judge whether a story is worthy of your time.
Characteristics of News
Most news stories are about human activities. That is, they are about what people do to change the world. But, some news also includes non-human sources such as a cyclone, bush fire, drought, volcanic eruption or earthquake.
The things that make a news story can vary from society to society, depending on the social importance of the events being reported. If a farm wall collapses killing a cow and a pig, for example, the story might be more important in one society than in another.
The decision about which events make it into a newspaper, on the news line-up, or on a broadcast or Internet news site is done by people who work for that organization. They are usually called editors, news directors or news managers. They take recommendations from reporters, assistant editors and others within their organization.