News is the information about current events that you hear or read in newspapers, on television and in news Internet sites. The decisions about what becomes news are made by editors, news directors or managers.
A newspaper, for example, might decide to include an incident that happened a week ago, or it might focus on an event that is happening right now. The decision about what is news and what is not news is an important one.
The News Characteristics
In a newspaper, the biggest news is given first in the bulletin or on Page One of the paper, in detail; lesser news is told later in the bulletin or on an inside page. Similarly, in a TV news program, the latest news is first on the line-up; other stories are later.
The News Centres on People
In most societies, the things that make news are the events and people that have a great impact on them. This includes the people who are in public eye – politicians, sports stars, celebrities and others – and what they do.
The News Centres on Nature
There are also some events that are natural, but have an impact on people. This could be a drought, a cyclone or a bush fire. A tiger cub that is abandoned and is taken to an animal shelter would be a good example of this.
There are many different types of news stories, from breaking news to local news and analytical news pieces. These types of news articles are ideal for English learners who want to practice their listening skills or improve their comprehension of the language.