News is new, unusual, interesting or significant information that keeps people informed. It may be about people, places or events. People are interested in the news because it relates to them and affects them. For example, a bug that eats crops is news if it threatens people’s food supply; or the coup in a neighbouring country may be news because it can affect the stability of their country.
News is reported on in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. It is also delivered by word of mouth and on the Internet. It is important that news stories are accurate and up to date. If a story is old, it is not news; and if it is inaccurate it can lead to misinformation.
To get the most out of your News it is best to find a variety of sources. This includes primary sources, which are interviews with the people involved in the news story. For instance, a reporter may interview a firefighter about saving a cat from a burning building or the vet who treated the cat for burns. Secondary sources are pieces collected from other news stories. For instance, a newspaper might use an image from another publication of the cat being saved from a burning building.
The job of the news media – newspapers, radio and TV – is to inform and educate their readers, listeners or viewers. This does not mean that they should not entertain them, however. For example, music and drama programs on the radio or cartoons and crosswords in newspapers provide entertainment as well as news.
