What is News: Definition of News and Difference Between News and Information

Download PDF (Size: 62 KB)

Definition of News

News is a report of a current event. We can define news as a development that has happened in the past 24 hours which was not known outside and which is of wide interest to the people and that which generates curiosity among listeners.

Difference Between News and Information

Information becomes news when some news value is added to it. A display on railway station regarding timings of train is information. If the train have introduced in new timings, it becomes news. Thus, news always gives some new facts to the people.

What Makes News

If a news report provides answers to six questions like When, Where, What, Why, Who and How, it is said to be a perfect news item.

News Values

• Timeliness: News is something new. Thus, something happening in the present has relevancy to be news. But the timeliness varies for different publications. That is, timeliness for newspaper is different from a weekly or monthly magazine.
• Impact: Impact of an event decides its newsworthiness.
• Proximity: Proximity is a deciding fact which decides whether a news is relevant in this part or not. I.e. something happening within the India is important for every one of us to know. But worldly news is of not that much importance.
• Controversy: People like controversies. Anything that is connected with conflicts, arguments, charges and counter-charges, fights and tension becomes news.
• Prominence: If a prominent person is involved in any event, it becomes news. Because people are interested in the lives of famous persons.
• Currency: News is about current events. It gets relevant only if it is happening now around us.
• Oddity: Unusual things make news. Extraordinary and unexpected events generate public interest.
• Emotion: Stories of human interest make good news items. People are eager if something hurt their mind. They love to empathise such things.
• Usefulness: News helps people in many ways. They make them aware of things happening around them. Weather forecasts, train timings like information are of public interest. People tend to know and enquire more about government policies through news.

Educational Values: News has also an educational value. In almost all newspapers, you can find columns about educational and job opportunities. These guide you about different educational courses, career options available, opportunities for higher studies etc. These news items help you become more knowledgeable.

Types of News

Credibility, Objectivity and Fairness

Before printing, journalist cross check and make it sure that all the news going to be printed are true to the core. This is done to ensure its credibility, objectivity and fairness. Objectivity means baselessness. That is, the published news must be without any personal or political bias. Fairness implies the balanced nature of the story. It means before going up with the news, a journalist should access on both the sides and make his own opinion. These three qualities are necessary for any type of media.

News a S a Tool; Both Positive and Negative

News is powerful tool. It can influence the public both in positive and negative ways. It can spread communalism on the one hand and preach nationalism to the people through it. News can also be an instrument for development. Many a time it carries a message to the people.