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Communications & Media
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English (U.S.)
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Topic:
What Is News: Support Your Answer With Specific Examples
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What Is News: Support Your Answer With Specific Examples
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WHAT IS NEWS?
1.0 Introduction
Defining ‘News’ in the 21st century can be a daunting task. When journalists are asked to define news, most times, their answer is that “I know it when I see it”. However, when questioned as to how they determine whether something is news or not, most of the time, the answer is “Because it just is” (Döveling et al., 2011). There exist many definitions of news that simply rely on gut feeling, which, according to Steffens (2005) obscures the complexities of news reporting. This paper sets out to answer the question, ‘What is news?’
2.0 Definitions of News
Broadly defined, news is the timely reporting of an event or occurrence. It conveys information about an event that has just occurred or something that is expected to happen in the near future (Hiebert& Gibbons, 2000). News can also be defined as the reporting of a recent event in the mainstream or alternative media. Mainstream media here refers to newspapers, television, radio and television. Alternative media here refers to the Internet and other sources (Thomas, 2013). Thus, news can be defined as any happening, development or merging story within 24 hours, which was hitherto unknown to the public (Steffens, 2005). For a recent development, qualified to be the ‘news’, it must not only have emerged in the recent past; but that it should be something that evokes wide interest among the outside world or be something that generates public curiosity. A case example is when you hear on FM radio broadcast that fifty people have perished in a tragic inferno that erupted after a train crash. To you, the listener, this may not qualify to be news. After all, many tragic accidents are reported all over the world. However, when you hear that ten out of the fifty people who perished are allegedly people from your village, then it becomes news. Now it becomes news because it evokes your interest as it directly concerns you. Consequently, you become keen and anxious since you suspect that these may be people that you relate to. Thus the condition and safety of the passengers become important to you.
Suppose you come across an article on CNN.COM that says, “58 dead and 500 injured in Las Vegas Shooting”. At first this would not qualify as news because several mass shootings are reported in the US after all. However, after a moment, you hear that the shootings happened at the Las Vegas Strip Club, and you remember that your uncle works at the club. Immediately, that becomes news. You begin to ask how many of the 58 were men, and could my uncle be one of them? Thus, just like the previous example, something becomes news when it elicits public interest or concern. When a national budget is being presented in parliament and you happen to be following the proceedings on television. When the Finance Minister announces a reduction in export tax, this is not news because you’re not into export business. Thus export tax reduction is of no importance to you. However, when the minister mentions a decline in the prices of petroleum products, your interest is aroused. You become alert and begi...
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