News is information about events that affect people, or is of interest to them. It may be about war, politics, government, education, health, the environment, business, fashion, entertainment and sport. It also includes weather and natural disasters. In the past, oral communication was the main way that news was transported. In the 20th century, technology such as radio and TV allowed the spread of news to be faster and more widespread. News is often reported by newspapers, magazines, broadcasters and the internet.
The news media decide what is important to cover, or what constitutes a good story. They have a number of criteria that they use to select stories: they must be new, unusual or interesting, significant, and about people. They must also be well-reported, and it is inappropriate for a journalist to inject their own opinion into a story.
It is important for news stories to be local, because people care about what happens in their own community. A story about a new job opportunity for local citizens might get more attention than one about a government announcement that will affect the whole world.
People consume news in a variety of ways. Some prefer to read newspapers, while others like enewsletters and online publications such as The Skimm or Today Explained. They may also listen to podcasts or watch videos from outlets such as Vice or Vox. News aggregators, such as Yahoo News Digest, can help people stay up to date with key stories without sifting through websites and social feeds.