News is what people want to read in the newspaper, watch on TV, listen to on the radio and find on the Internet. It’s also what they’re likely to talk about with friends, co-workers and other acquaintances. Most people think they understand what makes for good news, and they probably have strong opinions about which media messages are best and which sources to turn to for their news.

While some of the characteristics of News may seem obvious to those who work in the news business or consume it regularly, they aren’t always easy to define and often overlooked by those not involved in creating or disseminating news. This article takes a look at the major characteristics of News and tries to make sense of them so that everyone will have a better understanding of what it is and why it’s important.

1. Timeliness

The information that ends up in the paper, on the television news program or posted on a Web site is the decision of people who work for a specific news organization. Depending upon the medium, these people are known as editors, news directors or news managers. They sift through reports and recommendations from reporters, assistant editors and other staff to determine what is newsworthy.

2. Drama

Events that occur that are dramatic and have clearly defined good and bad people or situations tend to make the news. For example, if there is a bank robbery and a policeman gets hurt in the process, that’s newsworthy.