News is the presentation of information that has not been previously known to someone. This can be in the form of a newspaper, radio or television broadcast.
The content of news reports can be very different depending on the society in which it is being viewed. A news report about a farm wall collapsing and killing cows and pigs might be quite different to one about the invention of a telegraph, although they all contain elements that make them news.
A news story should have an element of drama, a good or bad character or situation, and be about something that is relevant to the community at the time of publication. The news value of a story can be very high if it meets these criteria.
Common topics for news reports include war, government, politics, education, health, the environment, economy, business, fashion, entertainment and sport, as well as quirky or unusual events.
The news can also be about famous people. Their lives, their work and how they look are all interesting to many people, particularly when they fall from power, lose their money or are involved in scandal.
Crime is also a popular topic for news reporting. Robbery, murder and rape are all very serious crimes which are of interest to the public.
Sex is another popular subject for news reporting; the behaviour of men and women in public is always interesting, especially when it goes beyond society’s generally accepted standards.