News is anything that people read, listen to, or watch in order to learn something new. It can also be something that inspires them to change their behaviour.
The definition of news is not universal, and it can vary between societies. So, for example, if a farm wall collapses killing a cow and a pig, this is not news in one society, but it would be news in another.
There are several factors which determine the relevance, topicality and composition of news stories. These are called news values (Brighton and Foy 2007).
Relevance: This is the most important factor. It affects the choice of a news story and is based on how much people want to know about a particular event.
Topicality: It is the second most important factor, and it determines whether or not a news story will be interesting. This is determined by how much the news relates to our everyday lives and how it will impact on us.
Composition: It is the third most important factor, and it affects how the news story is constructed. This is determined by how the writer chooses to organize the facts, and how they use their imagination to create an interesting and engaging story.
Unusualness: It is the fourth most important factor, and it determines how much the news story is different from the ordinary way of life in that society. This is based on how unusual or extraordinary the event is, and how it will be remembered in that society.