The Importance of News

In our fast-paced world, what matters most is news. It is important for a society to be informed, and this is why news media play such an important role. The media refers to any type of communication or imagery intended to disseminate information, either for entertainment or for reporting purposes. There are many types of news and they include general, entertainment, breaking, political, international, and sports among others.

It is important to understand the meaning of news, since all communication must take place through it. News is defined differently by various experts. Some of these experts are George Kitson, William Poundstone, Mark Twain, Sam Walton, Walter Pater, Bernard Spittel, Edward Said, and Barbara Stenham. Some others claim that news is only meaningful if it is subjective, whereas others think that its objective meaning makes it superior to other forms of communication. Some examples of subjective news are scientific news, weather reports, and art and music news.

A couple of examples from the New York Times which shows the importance of news are listed as, first, that “a well-informed public is a powerful nation.” Second, “a healthy economy is the best weapon against poverty.” Third, “a democratic society values and respect the individual.” Fourth, “a free press protects freedom.” Finally, “a well-informed citizen is a moral person.”

In other words, news can be considered a social good because it serves as a vehicle for societal welfare by informing the public about issues, ideas, and problems in a timely fashion that informing the masses about what is going on and what can be done to change it. As such, news serves a very important role and has a fundamental duty to the general public. This was crystallized during the First World War when newspapers as a part of their duty to inform the public. As such, they have not gone unchallenged since then.