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Revision as of 15:31, 13 October 2004 by 12.74.28.198 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)News is the reporting of current events usually by local, regional or mass media in the form of newspapers, television and radio programs, or sites on the World Wide Web. News reporting is a type of journalism, typically written or broadcast in news style. Most news is investigated and presented by journalists (or reporters) and often distributed via news agencies. If the content of news is significant enough, it eventually becomes history.
To be considered news, an event usually must have broad interest due to one or more news values:
- Impact (how many people were, are or will be affected?)
- Timeliness (did the event occur very recently?)
- Revelation (is there significant new information, previously unknown?)
- Proximity (was the event nearby geographically?)
- Entertainment (does it make for a fun story?)
- Oddity (was the event highly unusual?)
- Celebrity (was anyone famous involved?)
News coverage often includes the "five W's and the H" -- who, what, where, when, why, and how.
The word "news" comes from a special use of the plural of the word "new", and not as the common folk etymology claims, from the four cardinal directions (North, East, West, and South). Old spellings of the word varied widey—newesse, newis, nevis, neus, newys, niewes, newis, nues, etc—casting further doubt on the folk etymological theory.
In democracies, news organizations are often expected to aim for objectivity: reporters cover both sides in a controversy and try to eliminate bias. This is not true of all organizations in all cultures. For instance, British newspapers make little pretence that their reports are neutral - each has its own political stance, and news reports generally reflect the company line.
Many single-party states have operated state-run news organizations, which may present the government's views. Even in those situations where objectivity is expected, it is difficult to achieve, and individual journalists may fall foul of their own personal bias, or succumb to commercial or political pressures. Individuals and organizations who are the subject of news reports may use news management techniques to ensure that they make a favourable impression.