News is a report on events of current interest. It is transmitted over radio, television, or print.
In the 20th century, the ability to transmit news rapidly increased. Radio, television, and teletypesetters made it possible for rapid automatic transmission of news messages.
As a result, the boundaries between for-profit and non-profit media have blurred. The boundaries between amateurs and professionals in the media have also blurred. This has given rise to a number of “pro-am” relationships in the media.
The rise of social media networks has made it easier for people to automatically gather news. News is distributed via different media such as the internet and mobile devices. People can also discover news through word of mouth or electronic alerts.
A story’s value is determined by the impact it has on the reader. Prominent personalities, athletes, and scandals have more news value than others. However, the impact of a story depends on its time and place of origin.
Feature articles provide the context for the reader to understand the event. They can include profiles of actors, evaluations of media, and how-to-do-it articles. Typically, feature articles are less focused on efficient delivery of essential information.
Most American readers find their news through a variety of sources. Traditional media like the newspaper, radio, and television are still important. Unlike other countries, Americans have choices in how they discover news. For example, more than half of the population reported using three or more methods of discovery last week.