News is what happens in the world and what people are talking about. It is the reason we have radio and television and newspapers. News is not necessarily always about war, crime and disasters but can be about the weather, fashion or politics.
Choosing what makes it into the paper, on the TV news line-up or posted on a news Internet site is a big decision. The people who make these decisions are known as gatekeepers. They may work for a newspaper, a magazine or the TV or cable news outlets. They take recommendations from reporters, assistant editors and other staff members. They also have to consider the public interest and how they will react. These people can be called editors, news directors or even news managers.
The most important consideration for the decision makers is to get the story right. They want to tell it in such a way that it will capture the attention of their audience and keep them engaged. A good news article outlines facts and provides enough information so that readers can form an opinion, whether it is one which contrasts with your own or not.
Most people agree that the main role of news is to inform and educate their listeners, viewers and readers. Providing entertainment is not really the job of news but is more the responsibility of other areas of the media such as music and drama on radio or cartoons and crosswords in newspapers. It is always good to try and get your news from a variety of sources. This will give you a fuller picture of how different news stories can be told and might even open your eyes to how you see the world around you.