What is News?

Well, we, human beings, always look for new things, fresh information about anything and everything that interests us. Our curiosities are being satisfied by most media of mass communication. Thus, we have become consumers of newspapers, radio and news channels, magazines and web portals, and other sources of mass media. Can anyone tell what these various forms of mass media largely depend on? Yes, it is “news” which is the major ingredient for most of the mass media.

In the present blog, the readers will be familiarized with the definition of news / what is meant by news? / What constitutes news? / Characteristics of news, news writing, structure of news story analysis, backgrounder, structure of backgrounder and difference between news analysis and background. Let’s start enjoying this good piece of writing…

What is meant by news? / Definition of news:

Anything that is new or comes for the first time in front of people is termed as “news”. Usually, news is a report of an event that has just taken place, providing information or description. It could also include depiction, delineation, statement, and narration of a development event, or occurrence.

“News is both a product and point of view. As a product, news is gathered processed, packaged. Newspapers, news services, news magazines, radio, television and cable station' and networks then present news to their respective audiences,” states George Hough, University of Georgia (the United States of America).

Sometimes, it is seen that an event which had already taken place earlier has not been reported yet. Since it has not been previously reported; therefore, its newness remains there. When such type of event is reported, it becomes news as it is coming for the first time in public domain.

News is something that at a particular moment happens to attract and hold the interest of the reader, or listener. A news story is a fair, accurate, concise, balanced account of a current event that is of interest to most people. The trouble with news is that it does not remain newsworthy for long.

Some of the famous definitions of news are as follows:

“News should be: Original, Distinctive, Romantic, Thrilling; Unique, Curious, Quaint, Humorous, Odd, and Apt-to-be talked about,” stated Joseph Pulitzer, the legendary American newspaper baron.

 

“Anything you can find out today that you didn't now before,” said Turner Cateledge, a former managing editor of the New York Times.