News is a form of information about current events, which is transmitted through newspapers, radio, television and the Internet. It may be factual or speculative. It is written or broadcast in a clear and concise manner to give the reader an idea of what is happening around him at that moment.
The characteristics of news that are familiar to everyone, whether they work in the media business or read/watch/listen to the news as an audience member include timeliness (the occurrence of events in the present), drama (including identifiable good and bad characters or situations), consequence (events with major impact), proximity (events affecting a significant number of people) and narrative.
Controversy: Disputes, arguments and charges, fights and tensions are among the most popular forms of news. Stories related to controversies are usually very interesting and have the potential to affect people’s attitudes.
Prominence: People like stories about prominent people and their lives. They may be famous, have an unusual appearance, be in the news or have a flamboyant personality.
Currency: An event that affects many people is likely to make the news because it has the potential to affect their daily life or cause changes in their economy. This includes news about political issues, social concerns and natural disasters.
Oddity: Extraordinary and unexpected events generate public interest, including controversies. These are the topics that most often appear on the front pages of newspapers and on TV, in magazines and on the internet.
Emotion: Stories of human interest are also popular, particularly those that have emotional overtones. Such stories may be about sex, show business, animals, an unfolding drama or offer opportunities for humorous treatment, entertaining photographs or witty headlines.
Magnitude: Stories that are perceived as sufficiently important, either in the numbers of people involved or in their potential impact on the audience. These are usually included in the front page of newspapers and on television and radio, but they can be a part of many articles and reports as well.
Reaction: The reaction of the public to a particular story is one of the most important characteristics of news. It can be very negative or very positive.
The news is a very important source of information and can be useful for learning about the world and how people respond to the news in their everyday lives. It is not a substitute for scholarly sources, but it can provide insights that cannot be gleaned from other sources.