News is what happens in our world that affects many people and is reported on radio, TV, newspapers or the Internet.
The decision to include a particular event or issue on the newspaper, on the TV news line up or on a news Internet site is based on a variety of factors and is made by people called editors, news directors or news managers within a specific news organization, which may be print, broadcasting or cable. Using information from reporters, assistant editors and others, these gatekeepers determine what will become the next day’s news.
In most cases, a story that is considered news is dramatic and has clear good and bad characters or situations. It is also often time-sensitive and can’t be covered in the same way or with the same amount of detail as an historical event or a scientific research study.
Another way that news is chosen is by drawing from culturally shared values. Whether it is political, social, economic or religious, this is one of the major reasons that people watch and read news.
Understanding how news is selected can help you make more informed decisions about which stories to read or watch. It can also lead you to find sources that are minimally biased and to consider different perspectives on the news that is being presented.
