News is anything that has been made public and which catches the reader’s attention. It can be useful, uplifting, informative or alarming, but it should always be true and factually accurate.
Definitions
Defining news is important because it is the way that journalists decide which facts should be emphasised in a story. It helps them to decide which events will be the most interesting and which should be omitted.
Content
News stories are about certain elements that people are interested in, such as crime, money, famous people and sex. They can be about school fees, road traffic offences, corruption, the Budget, police cases, food prices, wage rises or economic crises.
Usefulness:
News helps people in a variety of ways, such as by making them aware of upcoming events like weather forecasts and train timings. It also provides information about government policies, educational opportunities and job prospects.
Educational Value:
News can also help children learn more about different issues, such as the environment or health. It can teach them about the differences between fact and fiction and can encourage them to question their assumptions.
Some people argue that news is a form of advertising, but others say that it represents a free media which gives us the facts. It is up to us to make sure that the news we get is fair, impartial and without any personal or political bias.