News coverage, whether it’s a newspaper, magazine, television program, or online news website, is a reflection of the world as its authors want people to see it. It must inevitably be selective, not only in what stories are reported but how those stories are presented as well. The journalists, camera operators, writers, and editors who produce the news are human beings who have ambition, anger, jealousy, fear, impatience, and a host of other emotions that can cloud their objectivity. They also belong to large, complex organizations that have their own diverse, often conflicting goals and needs.
The news media serve the public by reporting events and information about government, politics, society, economics, education, health, art, fashion, sports, business, crime, and other matters of general interest. They are especially important in ensuring that citizens can make informed decisions about the political process, the economy, and foreign policy. They report on the results of elections, debate national issues, interview politicians, and inform the public about events in other countries.
The guiding principles of journalism are to tell the truth, be impartial, and avoid sensationalism. Journalists are expected to cover all aspects of a story including the “Five Ws” (who, what, when, where, and why). They must be able to quickly determine the significance of an event and present it in a concise, interesting manner. Because of time constraints, they must make judgments about which newsworthy events to include in the limited space available on their pages or broadcasts.
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