News information is any kind of event that has the potential to change our lives. It could be a natural disaster, political scandal or economic downturn. It can also be information about our everyday activities – for example, weather reports, food shortages and prices, or even the launch of new products. The content of news is influenced by many factors, including the nature of the information and its sources. Some people trust some news outlets more than others. The way we define news is also evolving as the Internet makes it easier to find and share information about events around the world.
Qualitative and survey research suggests that there are three attributes that people believe make up news: it must be current, important to society and interesting or significant. This may seem obvious, but we know from our qualitative and survey research that these qualities are often not considered when reporting news.
People are often drawn to stories about people, assuming that news about people will be interesting and significant. This is why it’s important to include human-interest stories in your journalism practice.
Some topics are harder to consider as news, such as hard news about politics, economy or science. Others are softer and more entertainment-oriented, such as celebrity, sports or culture stories. These are easier to report, but the public is less likely to consider them as news.