News is any item of information that has occurred or is occurring which might interest a large audience. It is reported by radio, television or the Internet and also printed in newspapers and magazines. It may be yelled across the classroom or passed from friend to friend. News can be about something serious, like a tragedy, or something humorous, such as a joke.
A newspaper article about News is usually brief so that people will read it and illustrated with pictures to keep the reader’s attention. The article is based on the inverted pyramid model of writing, with key facts at the top and supporting details below them. A journalist must consider their audience, publication and level of complexity when deciding which facts to include in an article.
The earliest definition of news was that it was “new” information. However, there is a vast amount of information which is not new and which does not constitute news. For example, a man waking up, having breakfast and then going to work on the bus every day does not constitute news because it is not unusual.
In addition, it is not news when the same information has already been widely reported. This can lead to a repetition of the same news, which is not helpful to an informed public. There is an increasing emphasis on providing local news, as readers have a greater interest in what happens in their own community and town. This has resulted in the emergence of citizen journalism, where the lines between professional and amateur media have been blurred. Further research is needed into how to determine what does and does not qualify as news.