Traditionally, people learned about events in their community from word of mouth, newspapers, radio and television. Today, people often get their news online and through social media. The purpose of News is to inform the public about current events, issues and developments at local, regional, national and international levels. It keeps the public informed and aware of what’s happening around them, and helps them understand complex topics such as politics, science, economics and culture.
The classic definition of news is anything that makes you say “Gee Whiz!” or at least raise an eyebrow. But this can be misleading. What is newsworthy depends on what is significant to a particular audience, and on how they are affected by it. For example, if someone has an insect infestation in their garden and the insects are eating their vegetables, this is newsworthy because it is a serious problem for those who have gardens.
In addition, news is of interest when it relates to people and their relationships. This includes money matters such as fortunes made and lost, school fees, taxes, the Budget, food prices and compensation claims. The weather is also newsworthy, particularly when it affects daily life or is unusual.
It is important that news is presented in a way that is concise, clear and interesting. This is the challenge of journalism. It is not enough just to report the facts; it is also necessary to present them briefly so that the reader will want to read on, clearly so that they will be able to comprehend the content and picturesquely so that they will be able to imagine the situation in their minds.