Introduction
The word “news” is defined literally in a variety of ways as “information about important or interesting recent events especially when published or broadcasted” or “broadcast report or news” or “newly received or noteworthy information.” (Thompson 2000, p.598). It is clear that the news is something which appears attractive to the audience of its broadcast or publishing. Even the action of broadcasting is said to be as to news the event. The events happened recently and which are remarkable are claimed to be as news. But, some events which are left unnoticed for a longer time after happening or occurrence and recognized in a later stage are also considered as news because of the fact that it always creates a sharp curiosity in the minds of the audience. As a whole, to be clear with the word, news is something which is prominent and catchy having its influence in depth on the people exposed to it.
Sources of News
In this modern world of technology, it is seen that the news reaches the audience in various modes of conveying. The prevailing methods are quoted below:
Print and Publish
Printing and publishing has been evolved since centuries. Before the advent of the most modern techniques of media, people depended on the paper publishing itself. It still remains a prominent source of information. Newspapers, periodicals, journals, magazines, books etc are included in the printing and publishing category.
TV & Radio Broadcasting
Live as well as pre-recorded news broadcasting is possible through the TV & Radio media. The arrival of radio communication media made an immense transition in the situation of the world. The people became more conscious about the international, national and local incidents much effectively. The pace and convenience of access to the broadcast made it popular very easily.
Internet & E-mail
Internet is a donation of the development of science and technology which is identified as the best source of news. People get a chance to analyze about a particular matter by referring to a number of sources posted in various sites of internet on the same matter. Internet brings the world at our finger tips within the comfort of our room. Online news has become the major source of information in almost all fields including education, medicine, travel, governing etc. E-mail is, in turn, the gift of internet facility which is the cheapest and fastest mode of transfer of information between any two or more points around the globe. The entry of newer techniques as a result of extensive researches makes the changes in various aspects of time, efficiency and demand.
Making of News
Journalists analyse various factors of the news to decide upon the significance and scope of its publishing. Accordingly, the news are selected and arranged in the publication for effective of news to the readers. The values considered in the process of selection of news are given below:
- “Timeliness
- Impact
- Proximity
- Controversy
- Prominence
- Currency
- Oddity.” (Potter 2008).
Timeliness
The time of occurrence of the event depicted in the news is of great importance in valuing the scope of the news. For the daily journals, the news should be mainly focused on those occurring in the duration of 24 hours. But, in the case of weekly or fortnightly periodicals, the news occurring during the whole week or two weeks are of equal timeliness. In this way “hot” news varies for various types of publications. The timeliness of live forecasting is of slight difference; in which each second and minute are covered with equal priority.
Impact
The effect on the people is to be considered in publishing the news. The number of people who are influenced under a specific event is analyzed prior to making it public through journals. Thus, international, national and regional groups come into picture. The events that affect the people all over the world are categorized under international news while those having concerns within a nation are national news. The events within a region, which is related to the people in a locality, become the regional news. The concentration is given to the point of the impact on the people to whom it is conveyed.
Proximity
The news involving the events and individuals of near ones are observed as significant ones. The curiosity about the closer fields and actions play an important role in the capture of more listeners to particular news than those related to someone unknown.
Controversy
The acceptance without a second thought is another factor analyzed while publishing a description of a happening. The cases in which people are under discussion about the rights and wrongs are to be dealt in the same view instead of quoting as right or wrong plainly.
Prominence
The news involving a well known person with many admirers or followers is given good priority. This is because of the fact that people are always curious to know about their idols. The gossips are even much accepted due to the same curiosity, as the journals and channels are their only source.
Currency
The legal tenders get their importance only when those are adjoined to some recent breaking event that became the main issue in the place recently. Each step taken by the administration and management will never take top priorities unless they succeed some identified and discussed actions, else those will be considered as a routine or actions executed per time table.
Oddity
The usual events are always replaced by the unusual ones because of the strangeness in them over other events. The happenings that occur in a different and extraordinary manner constantly attack the mind of the people more easily, deeply and effectively; this attraction is the success of the news conveyed. (Potter 2008).
Importance of news
The term news is attached to the human day to day life to a very closer extent. Nowadays they have become a part of the life itself with its influence in each phase of an individual’s routine. The major reason for this conquering is the flourish of education in the society to a deeper sense. The development of knowledge within a person always makes him curious in all aspects. The people become thirsty for information from all parts of the world and all areas of human innovations. The availability and usage of various goods and services by the individuals is much influenced by the news and publications. The spread of news can be achieved through various modes of media. The paper publications, internet postings and TV & radio broadcasting contribute to the spreading of news.
Mission of Media
The major thing related to the news broadcasting or publishing is the percentage of truth in it. The harm resulting from the news coverage is greater than the case of spreading through gossips in an area. The news published through the media, both print and broadcast, are believed in full trust by the audience. A deep thoughtful persuasion is possible when event coverage reaches the public. Thus, it is clear about the negative effects possible in case news of wrong information reaches the civic. The motto, vision and mission of the agency should thus be depicted on the moral values of the society and helping them for the betterment of the living in the world. The wellbeing and interests of the present world is to be given the most priority by the agencies covering the news, maybe the news is related to the current affairs or related to the public affairs or at times for the introduction of fresh ideas and goods for the public. The organizations handling the broadcasting or publications moistly are able to bring about changes into various aspects of the life and situation around the globe itself. Many real life examples are available in this modern world.
News & Democracy
The democratic management has a requirement of making the members always updated to the current affairs and happenings. “Knowledge of current issues is essential to informed citizenship in a democracy. We are concerned about the effects of media messages on children and others. Modern participatory culture makes every citizen a potential creator of news in social media, blogs, email and the web. We believe a literate citizen understands the purposes, processes and economics of news.” (The importance of news literacy 2008).
The democracy in a country becomes effective only with the participation of the citizens of that country. It is impossible that each citizen involves in the management and administration of the affairs of a country, but the knowledge about it is essential in the case of democracy. The people should be aware about the government above them as well as their decisions and actions in course. This helps each citizen to carry out his duties in the country; the news is thus an integral part of democracy. The status and position of the country and the environment as well as situations existing in the country and worldwide are all the concerns of an individual living in this world. Thus, the knowledge on the matter becomes very significant as a whole and the role of news publishing and broadcasting becomes adequate. The advent of the newer approaches across the globe through the development of science and technology has developed even the areas of the information spreading through most modern methods of publications and broadcasting.
Intellectual Approach to News
The proper analysis of the news approaching an individual is possible only with decisive judgment expertise acquired by him in course of his life and education. He should be able to make out the difference, dig out the opinion and declare on the consistency of the news. These skills are very much significant in this existing culture to attain the real factor what we mean as literacy. “Equality is a magnificent system for human rights and morality in general, but not for the evaluation of information.” (Sowin 2007).
The above quote says about the fact which should be kept in mind while we get exposed to a news broadcast. The ethical and autonomous feelings should be in mind but not while analyzing information. In most of the developed countries as well as the developing countries, the curriculum itself deals with proper and healthy exposure to the news along with the exercises to build up the analytical skills in the students. There is a necessity for an intellectual strain in case of the readers and audience of a news broadcast. The sieve should be of the literary aspects which help them to develop proper approach to the news to which they are exposed to. The ability should help them to recognize the significance as well as the position of the news. That is, with least knowledge about the background, reading or hearing or even seeing news will do no usage. It will only help to create a groundless estimation from that person.
When a person is unaware of a matter, the best thing to practise is to observe both the parties’ opinion. This helps to create a proper picture about the situation in the reader’s mind. Getting exposed to it continuously will gradually make him master in that matter. This is due to the fact that the commentaries give chances to consider about the matter deeply and in a different way concerning a matter and assists to build chronological and imaginary associations that would sometimes leave us in a later stage.
Influence of news
The best usage of news is the first requirement for the success of any launches into the public; may be the commencement is related to health or public affairs or awareness in any aspect. Functioning through the news intermediate lives as significant at all times for the reason that news exposure is habitually the primary supply of innovative ideas of the audience. “News coverage can contribute at each step:
- Knowledge stage
- Persuasion stage
- Decision stage
- Action stage
- Confirmation and advocacy stage.” (The importance of news media relations 1995).
Knowledge stage: Consciousness created about the fresh information in the public is the first and foremost requirement for its success. The spreading of its news and aspects contribute to the awareness of the public in the matter with clear picture of the advantages and disadvantages. This helps the people to get exposed to the newer approaches in the field.
Persuasion stage: Repeated exposure of single news influences the people with much effect than any others. The constant awareness will create a wish within the minds of the observers getting attracted towards it; thus results in the affiliation to the matter.
Decision stage: The choice of the public gets the influence from the frequent exposures of new innovations. The situation of reaching conclusions is affected much by extensive coverage.
Action stage: At the action stage, the people get the motivation on the usage procedures and methods. The centres for services and help desks are all informed in detail which will help the customers to a very great extent. The featured news provides the information on the cost and availability as well.
Confirmation and advocacy stage: The access and acquirement always requires a verification and backing at the later stages. Especially, the production field necessitates this intensely. The promotion after the purchase with whole back up is the factor ever chosen world wide. So it is clear that the coverage also helps in the confirmation and advocacy stages also. (The importance of news media relations 1995).
Media Relations
Media relations have become a main concern of organizations and groups for their proper functioning and consistency. “Almost all organizations that receive regular, accurate news coverage practice good news media relations.” (Building a news media relations program 1995). The importance of trustworthiness of the news broadcast is calculated with much concern. The media relationship is considered to be a positive attitude in case of various associations and firms. The critical factor for the successful media relations launches is the back up from the top layer management. The superior administrators are responsible for keeping such healthy relationships based on the mission and vision of the groups and analyzing on the intellectual approach of the corporate towards the media. Then, the attitude is kept clear accordingly for the further upcoming relations. The consistency is kept on the basis of the later affairs of the organization towards the press. The cooperativeness as well as the accessibility always influences the media relationships to a wider extent. The relations are kept with a will to manipulate the resources and sources of the staff with respect to the media. The advantage of keeping the media relationships will add to the development of the organization in maximum fields of advancements.
Conclusion
The study on news leads to an extensive area of analysis on the sources, production and interpretation of news made in the contemporary world. The topics which are fresh and are ready to conquer the thoughts of the audience are recognized as news. The sources are far modernized helping the audience more effectively in the features of time, cost, efficiency etc. The importance of news in the day to day life of populace across the world cannot be tallied out. News affects the lives of the human in all possible ways with no doubts. The media relationships are seen as a significant agenda of every organization. To be clear, to live as a human with reasoning and thinking power, news should be his daily routine to make him aware about what, where, how is himself and the world around the globe.
Reference
Building a news media relations program 1995, Population Reports, vol.XXIII, no.4, Population Information Program, USA. Web.
Potter, D 2008, Handbook of independent journalism: what is news?: news depends on a variety of factors, America.gov: Engaging the World. Web.
Sowin, J 2007, The importance of news, Desiring God: God-Centered Resources from the Ministry of John Piper. Web.
The importance of news literacy 2008, Journalism That Matters. Web.
The importance of news media relations 1995, Population Reports, vol.XXIII, no.4, Population Information Program, USA. Web.
Thompson, D 2000, Pocket oxford dictionary, Oxford University Press.