News is information about events that are current and happening. It can be delivered through various media including newspapers, magazines, television and radio.
How news is selected and presented depends on the people who decide what to include. It’s often influenced by gatekeepers such as corporations, interest groups and governments.
Traditionally, news organizations have had a lot of power in what they publish. But, now, when people have access to more devices than ever before, traditional news outlets no longer control the content of what we hear and read.
The news is a mix of drama, consequence and proximity
Most of the news we receive about the world around us is dramatic. It could be about a crime, an economic crisis, the stock market, an accident or a natural disaster.
When something is dramatic it makes people take notice of it. They will pay attention to it when they see it on TV, in a newspaper, on the radio or on the Internet.
Consequence: The news is more likely to be about an event that is significant when there are good and bad people involved or when it’s caused by something that affects a large number of people. It is also more likely to be about an event that has happened when it’s happened in a specific place.
Proximity: The news is more likely to be about something that happened close to the audience’s home, work or school. It can be about an accident, a robbery, or a political controversy.