News is a means of conveying current and interesting events to the public in an objective manner. It can be obtained through newspapers, radio or TV. The Internet has enabled people to become their own suppliers and reporters of news.
News gives the public information about things that are happening in their community, country and internationally. It also informs the public about the opinions of experts on various issues and problems. It also provides analysis and interpretation of these events, thereby helping the audience make sense of complex situations.
In addition, news promotes accountability by reporting on corruption and other unethical behaviour by individuals and organizations. This is important because it helps the public to make wise choices about the issues that affect them and their lives.
Generally, what makes good news is something that happens to a large number of people or something that is very unusual. For example, if someone misses the bus to school and ends up having to walk all the way, this is not likely to be big enough to make the 5:00 PM line-up on the local TV news program. But if that person were to come across a litter of baby tigers on their walk and save them, then this could be newsworthy because it affects many people and is very unusual.
Other characteristics that often make news include controversies, prominence and timeliness (the fact that something is happening now or is very recent). People are interested in the lives of famous people and their scandalous activities. They are also interested in stories about traditional remedies, hospitals and clinics, diseases, and sex, even though these topics may be considered “unacceptable” in some societies.