News is information about significant events and issues that affect people. It is often reported by a formal media organisation, such as a newspaper, television or radio program, but also can be found on websites, blogs and social networking sites. It is a form of popular culture that has existed since the dawn of history and is a key part of human communication.
The main elements of a news story are surprise, contrast and the unusual. It is also important to give a sense of the event and its impact on people. It is important to provide enough facts so that readers can form their own opinion of the news story. A good way to do this is by using a headline that states the main points of the story. It is also important to include some background information in the article, for example, a history of the event or an explanation of why it is considered newsworthy.
It is also interesting to examine the ways that different societies treat the same event. For example, if a wall collapses killing a cow and a pig in one village, this will be newsworthy, but in another village where the pig is a staple food the same event will not be newsworthy at all.
In recent years, there has been a decline in traditional journalism with a loss of jobs and funding. This has created a need to look at new ways of gathering and disseminating news. This has led to the development of new forms of media such as social networks and blogs.