News is a form of communication that focuses on current events and things that are happening. When you turn on your television or radio in the morning and hear about a robbery that just took place, it is considered to be news. This is because the event just occurred and it has not been reported on before.
Generally speaking, events that make news are dramatic and have a clear good versus bad situation. The event is also something that people may be interested in. For example, a story about baby tigers being transported in a truck may be interesting to people because it is unusual and involves the welfare of animals.
When gatekeepers decide what to include in the news, they consider the audience’s familiarity with the subject matter and their geographic location as well. Local newspapers or television stations focus on events within their region, while national broadcast news and cable networks consider stories that take place across the country or even the world as relevant to their audiences.
It is a good idea to get your news from a variety of sources. This will give you a more balanced perspective on how different messages are being delivered to the public. Getting your news from one source can lead to tunnel vision and biases. A great way to counter this is to tune in to a variety of news programs on both radio and television as well as reading a broad selection of newspapers, magazines and online sites.