News is a form of information about events in the world that is reported and shared with an audience. News is usually reported on a local or national level and covers a variety of topics including politics, current affairs, weather, crime, sports and other major happenings.
Most news stories are about people because humans make the world, and therefore news. It is the things that happen to people, whether it is an accident, a natural disaster, or a political event, that makes the news. News also includes celebrity stories, as well as those of prominent business or cultural figures.
The classic definition of news is that it is something which is new or unusual. However, this can be a misleading definition because it may not always be the case that a new or unusual event is news. For example, if a person is killed on the street by a drunk driver it may not be news because it is not the first time this has happened.
It is the timing of an event which often makes it newsworthy. If something happens that is significant for a short period of time, then it will be newsworthy because people will want to know about it. Likewise, if something has been known for a long time but is just now being reported for the first time it will be newsworthy.
What makes a story interesting depends on the people involved in it. If it is about a famous person, then there will be interest in their personal life and the things they do. This can include their successes, failures and the relationships they have with others. It is also interesting to read about the lives of animals, plants and other creatures as well as how they survive in their environment.
Money and work are also interesting subjects for news stories. These can include fortunes made and lost, the economy, school fees, taxes, the Budget, food prices, wage rises and compensation claims. It is also newsworthy when a wealthy person donates a large sum of money to a charity cause, but it is not so much news when a regular person gives only ten cents.
In a recent study participants were asked how they select which news to consume. The findings of this research supported the theory of uses and gratifications, with most participants using news to satisfy their needs for surveillance and information seeking. It was also found that some people use news to keep up with their personal interests, such as sport or hobbies and to maintain connections with friends. Others use news to be altruistic and to share useful information with others. Regardless of why they use news, most people want to be informed about their world. This is why it is so important for journalists to ensure that they provide the right information in the most accessible way possible.