News is information that travels through different communication media. It may travel by telephone, the internet, or through printed newspapers and magazines.
Usefulness: People are often influenced by news. They are keen to know about upcoming events and how they will impact on them. Weather forecasts, train timings and other information are examples of news.
Educational Values: News reports can educate us about the latest government policies. They can also provide useful background information on topics such as health and the environment.
Oddity: Extraordinary events or unusual incidents generate interest. They may be of interest because they are strange or unusual, or because they are emotional.
Emotion: Those who have suffered or seen something that has hurt their mind are eager to read about it. They might even relate their own experiences to what they have read.
Controversy: People like controversies. Anything that is connected with conflicts, arguments, charges and counter-charges, fights and tension becomes news.
Prominence: Stories about famous people become news, and they are usually interesting.
Currency: Events that occur around us become news because they are of interest to us now, and they are likely to affect our lives.
Surprise: Unexpected events or incidents are very appealing, as they can have dramatic overtones or change the way we think.
Magnitude: Stories are perceived to be sufficiently significant in the number of people involved, or in their potential impact.
Relevance: Stories about issues, groups and nations that are believed to be relevant to the audience.