News is the information about current events that you read in newspapers, watch on TV, listen to on the radio or find on the Internet. News stories are usually about things that affect a large number of people, such as natural disasters, economic crashes, war or terrorism. The news also covers a variety of other topics including politics, education, health, business and fashion.
Traditionally, the news is gathered by reporters and then made into a story by editors and other news managers at the newspaper or television station. These decision makers are sometimes called gatekeepers and they sift through all the available information to decide what should be considered news. They are influenced by the beliefs and biases of their own community and culture. They are concerned with the impact on society of certain issues and the ability to influence readers. They look for information that is dramatic, incorporates violence and scandal, is familiar and local, and is timely (i.e., recent).
The news is often shaped by the needs of the advertisers who pay for space on the newspaper or television news program. News producers are primarily interested in producing news that will capture a large audience to deliver to their advertising clients. This may result in a lack of diversity in the news that is presented.
It is a good idea to try to get your news from many different sources, if possible. This will allow you to see how a story can be portrayed differently in each medium and might even expand your perspective on the world.