National news is information about events that affect the entire country. This includes national political developments, economics, and social affairs. It may also include international events that are relevant to a particular region or nation. National news is typically published in newspapers, radio, television and online. It can be a mixture of hard and soft news stories. Traditionally, news was printed by hand or delivered by mail to subscribers. However, modern technology allows information to be sent electronically or by telegraph to consumers immediately.
The decline in local news outlets has impacted the national landscape of media and affected the way people consume information. National news organizations often have a larger audience and resources and prioritize large scale events that resonate with broader societal issues. This can lead to a disconnect where people are well informed about major national events but less aware of important community issues.
News articles should meet professional norms to be considered valid. These include the “Five Ws” of journalism: who, what, where, when and why. In addition, a news story should present an accurate and objective representation of the event. The format of a news story also impacts its value and credibility. For example, a story on the war in Afghanistan or a death of a prominent politician is usually harder news and therefore carries more weight than a simple story about a minor celebrity. Similarly, a hard news story is more likely to appear on the front page of a newspaper than a human interest piece.
