News is the information that is reported in newspapers, magazines and radio. It can also be found online and in a variety of other ways. The purpose of News is to inform and educate the public on current events. This is done by reporting on local, national and international news. The content of News varies from society to society, but there are some common things that are considered to be newsworthy.

People are interested in what is going on around them, and they want to know about it. Some of the things that are reported on include –

Crime: A lot of societies are very interested in crime, whether it is robbery, murder, road traffic accidents or other crimes. It is usually the most unusual and serious crimes that make the headlines, though. Sex: All societies are interested in sex, although they do not always talk about it openly. Stories about sex often involve behaviour that is outside society’s generally accepted standards.

Health: All societies are interested in matters of health – what medicine is available, hospitals and clinics, diet and exercise. News about famous people makes a big impact as well, especially when they fall from grace or get into trouble.

A good news story is new, interesting, important, significant and about people. It can also be complex and controversial. It is the combination of all these factors that makes a story newsworthy. The classic rule is “Dog bites man – not news; Man bites dog – news”.

It is essential that all sources are checked for bias. It is impossible to be completely unbiased, but it is possible to avoid the most obvious and damaging biases. A source may be biased if it uses derogatory language about any group or individual, or if it shows favouritism towards one.

It is worth following a few different outlets and avoiding sharing stories unless they have been properly vetted. This will help prevent clogging up people’s social media feeds with stories that are not particularly helpful or informative. In particular, it is good to follow some outlets that specialise in reporting explainer pieces, which provide more context and nuance than simple reactionary breaking news. These include VOX, Refinery29, The Skimm, Flare’s Explainer series and Maclean’s. It is also good to follow some positive news sources, like the Good News Movement and Tank’s Good News. These will remind us that there is a lot to be happy about, even in times of great global turmoil and conflict. These can be a welcome relief from the relentless flow of bad news that is so prevalent in our world today.