News is information about events in the world and the people who live in it. It is usually about important issues or developments, but may also be about trivial and entertaining events. It is typically published in print, radio, television and newspaper media, but can also be found on digital platforms. It is often reported and written by journalists or reporters, who follow ethical guidelines to ensure that they maintain accuracy and impartiality.
The main function of news is to inform the public. It does this by reporting on current events and by providing analysis and interpretation of those events. This can help citizens make sense of complex situations and enable them to participate in society more fully. News also promotes accountability by holding governments and businesses accountable for their actions. It does this by reporting on corruption, scandals, and unethical behaviour.
Stories about people are almost always newsworthy. This is because it is people who change the world and their actions, good or bad, are of interest to most people. Natural disasters like cyclones, bush fires, droughts and volcanic eruptions are also considered newsworthy, as is anything that affects the lives of the majority of people in the country, such as shortages of food or high prices of goods.
It is often considered that straight news is declining in importance as a result of the proliferation of soft news, such as celebrity gossip, sports scores and weather reports. This has been attributed to a shift in the role of the press from one of providing objective information to one of satisfying consumer demands for entertaining content.