News is current information about events. It can be found in newspapers, magazines, radio and television programmes. It is also available on the Internet. The main purpose of news is to inform. However it can also entertain and educate.
In order for something to be news it must have some importance or interest to people. It should be about human activity – it may involve wars, politics, education, economy, health, sports, religion, the environment or crime. Often the most important part of the news is the first paragraph of the story, this is because it must grab the reader’s attention.
The other thing that makes news is if it is new. Events which have already happened can still be news if they are reported for the first time. For example, Mrs Gandhi’s assassination could be news tomorrow if the details of it were known for the first time.
Some people find that the news is interesting because of what the famous or wealthy do, or how they look. This is particularly true if they are involved in scandals or fall from grace. Other things that make news include weather conditions which affect daily life, food shortages and gluts, crop diseases and harvest sizes. Stories about music, dance, theatre and cinema keep us informed about what is happening in the arts. Stories about science, medicine, hospitals and clinics are of interest to many people. So are stories about sex if they go against generally accepted norms.
