News is an important source of information about recent events. It informs people about the happenings in their vicinity. Moreover, it helps them to become more aware of various aspects of their lives.
The content of news can vary depending on the society. Some of the common topics of news reports include war, political issues, crime, and entertainment. However, not all things make news.
According to a study conducted by Galtung and Ruge, there are two different types of news. One is “hard news” that is generally undisputed orthodox news values. On the other hand, the second type is called “soft news” and tends to be less dominant.
In the first type of news, the story is focused on people. This could be in the form of a person’s death, a crime, a new discovery, or an interesting event. Besides, the news must be significant and unusual.
In the second type of news, the story is relevant to the reader. This includes news about social problems, money, and government policies. Also, the news must be brief.
News is transmitted through radio, television, and the internet. These media platforms have changed the way people receive and disseminate news. Moreover, technological innovations have made it possible to transmit news quickly.
A study by Galtung and Ruge expanded the range of newspapers examined and included new factors such as the effect of broadcast journalism and the digital media. Additionally, the authors developed a new matrix of variables to consider when analyzing news.