1. Defining News

 Defining the word news can be a difficult task. News varies in topics as well as delivery, and with the rise of social media in the 21st century, news constantly surrounds our daily lives, whether we intentionally look for it or accidentally stumble upon it. So how do we classify news? Merriam Webster Dictionary defines news as,“ a report of recent events”. Today, news stems from that simple definition and creates a complex platform of what news is. 

News has changed dramatically since the basic word-of-mouth communication so many were dependent on. While spoken and written news used to take months to travel, today we can hear or see the recent news story at any point of our day. Whether it’s accidentally reading a headline on your browser page, or intentionally checking Twitter to see What’s Happening, news has become an integral part of our lives. 

As a child who watched my parents read the newspaper, watch the local and national news channels, and tune into radio stations I assumed when I was an adult, I would automatically gravitate to those news medians. I never expected as a young adult to be so consumed with the daily news that is at my fingertips, at any moment I decide to look. But almost every social media application on my phone acts as a news platform, and I have unlimited access to local, national, and even worldwide news. Even though I don’t classify myself as an active pursuer of news stories, I admit I am subjected to the overwhelming amount of information presented to me daily.

The growth of social media has affected how we receive information, forever. Today, almost every news channel or newspaper has their own app, social media page (across different platforms), and website. They have the ability to reach thousands of people across the world, at any given time. News is almost instantaneously received today, without being intentionally sought out.

Since news is so prominent across every platform, it begs the question, “what makes something newsworthy”. This is a fair question, news headlines differ from the humorous ‘Florida Man’ headlines to somber reports about Afghanistan, bringing focus to what exactly makes a story worth being told. While opinions and preferences about “newsworthy” topics vary, news stories are released because of the impact they can have, whether good or bad. While one person can classify a news story as important, another can argue it as inaccurate or define it as “fake news”. But although everyone’s personal opinions and beliefs vary, the intention of news is to give real and factual information to the public. Conflicts and arguments about political views may arise from a local news story, neither can discredit the facts that have been written. 

Whether we actively search for the newest information on the News App or accidentally discover information on Instagram, news is constantly surrounding our daily lives. While our own personal opinions may disagree with a specific news story, the effect news has on our lives remains the same.