News is the story of what is happening in the world around us – events, opinions and ideas. It can be told in a range of ways on radio, television and newspapers. It should mainly inform and educate. But it can also entertain – music and drama on radio, cartoons in newspapers and crosswords on TV, for example.

It is important to be able to distinguish between news and entertainment and not mix them up. News should be accurate, timely and focused on what is important to the community. It should cover local, regional and national issues and debates and be based on factual information. Entertainment can come from many sources – celebrities, sport, a well-told drama, animals, an unfolding drama or a humorous treatment with entertaining photographs or witty headlines.

People are interested in the lives of famous men and women – who they are, what they do and how they look. It is especially interesting when they become a victim of crime or experience controversy. People are also interested in their health – traditional medicine, medical research, disease, hospitals and clinics, diet and exercise and what people do to keep healthy. People are also interested in the environment – how much rain falls, what effect pollution has on the sea and sky.

Money is a major factor in the news – fortunes made and lost, salaries, pensions, tax rises, school fees, the budget, food prices and compensation claims. It is also a factor in determining who is to blame for an incident, for example the collapse of a building or the death of a person as a result of an accident.