The Gatekeepers of News

News is information about events and issues that affect the lives of people. It can come in the form of a newspaper, a television news program or a website. It can also be found in books and magazines. It is important for the public to be aware of current affairs so that they can make informed decisions.

The selection of what is considered to be newsworthy and how it is presented are the responsibility of a group of people within each media outlet. These are the gatekeepers of news; they are often referred to as editors, news directors or even news managers. They are responsible for sifting through the many events and topics that could be reported and then choosing which ones will appear in their newspaper, TV news show or on their website.

Generally speaking, the most important information is placed at the top of the article – this is known as being above the fold in a newspaper or, online, being above the scroll line. This is important to ensure that the most relevant information is seen first and to encourage people to continue reading the article until they reach the end.

The characteristics of a good news story include timeliness, drama, consequence, proximity and narrative. It is also important to know your audience and what types of information would be of interest to them. This can be achieved by studying the content of other newspapers, magazines and websites.