News is the most recurrent and also the simplest genre of journalism. But writing simply can be difficult. So it is with the news. Its apparent simplicity hides a complex production process that starts from the moment that a journalist decides that a fact merits publication and concludes when an individual reads those facts of interest in a newspaper. (Coelho, 2019) The structured dissemination of the news can be found as far back as 59 BC, when Julius Caesar, in Rome, decided that the records of the sessions of the Senate should be written out. These records were called Actas Diurnas, which were handwritten and posted on the walls of the region. The printing press was not perfected in China until the seventh century A.D., that is, seven hundred years later.
In Europe, town criers, introduced with drums or wind instruments, were responsible for conveying the news – almost always an increase in taxes – via public readings. They were the announcers of that era, but not the journalists. It was not until 1440 that Johann Gütenberg developed movable-type, linking it to the printing press and ink. Nuremberg, Germany, was the first town to have a newspaper: a single sheet of paper.
In 1620, 180 years later, Holland adopted the system. Somehow, we had to wait another eighty years to see the beginning of written journalism similar to what we know today. It was in 1700 with the publication of the Daily Courant in London, which was followed in the USA, the original cradle of journalism in America. In 1844 Samuel Morse created the telegraph. Immediately, the founding of different press bodies began, which became the immediate forerunners of the twentieth century newspapers.
History of the News
Different periodicals, and magazines appeared, among which American magazines such as “Time”, “Life” or “Newsweek” stand out due to their prominence and special style They represented and continue to represent peculiar types of print journalism that go beyond simple sales or prestige indexes. The forms that all these publications have followed over the years have indelibly marked a myriad of styles in the form and substance of writing and the dissemination of information or opinion.
In the 1900s, William Marconi introduced wireless telegraphy; John Fleming and Lee de Forest developed the electronic tubes that made it possible to transmit sound. Almost simultaneously, the first regular radio station went on the air from San Jose, California, and became the forerunner of San Francisco’s powerful KCBS. (Coelho, 2019) From then on, the evolution of radio as a form of mass media was unstoppable. And it continues to expand, despite the gloomy predictions of those who considered television to be the primary enemy of broadcasting.
At the beginning of this 21st Century, the pervasive power of TV is irrefutable; nobody can deny its popularity and effectiveness, based on several factors: the latest technology, its color, the image, satellite, cables that supplant antennas and provide incredible reception, its coverage of different topics, and its presence within the private world of the receiver. However, radio, as a medium distinct from TV, continues to maintain its own sphere of influence in broad sectors of society. This is also true of the written press, regardless of its recurrent nature.
Definition
Broadly speaking, “news” is a fact that is communicated. Each dictionary has its own definition, but it is difficult to find a precise one. News by its very nature is inherently perishable, which further complicates the search for a universal concept. Not to mention the diverse nature of the media (print, TV or radio), each one of them having their own internal organization and journalistic criteria for the fulfillment of their functions. What is news to some may not be news to others.
A capital city is not the same as a rural environment or anywhere else in the world. In each case, the news is selected with the target audience in mind. (Valdés, 1987) What’s more: News ceases to be news by the mere fact of the passage of time. This is particularly true when it comes to radio or TV stations that broadcast around the clock or most of the available time.
If the news is reiterated unchanged, it will not attract the attention of the target audience; hence the need to add new complementary elements, to readjust the information in order to fulfill the objective. On the other hand, for the written press or for a worldwide shortwave radio station that writes or broadcasts within a short time frame, an event that occurs in the morning may well be considered “news” in the afternoon edition of the newspaper or on the radio broadcast in the evening.
Specific Features of a News Item
It has been said that news is the telling of a story. The facts, their verification and progression are directly linked to a sequence of questions. If these are effectively answered, the underlying structure of the news is formed. Over the years, such problems have become the ABC of news journalism. There are six of them: What, who, when, where, how and why? Some authors add a seventh: What for? (Iranzo & Latorre, 2019)
- What?: As the name suggests, this is simply what happened. It is an essential element present in all news; the essence of it.
- Who?: This relates to the main character of the news. It can be a human subject, an institution, legal person or object that the fact is identified with.
- When?: This refers directly to the time frame. At what instant of the day or night, at what time, did the event that created the information occur, is it occurring, or will it occur?
- Where?: This is a determination of place. The place where the event originated, where the event is taking place or where the reported events will take place.
- How?: This establishes the salient facts of the event, without which the news could be incomplete and thus lead to a drop in the receiver’s interest.
- Why?: This refers to the causes, or grounds that gave rise to the event to be reported.
- What for?: This is related to the direct and sudden after-effects that the reported event may cause. The answer to this question runs the risk of leading the writer to fall into the trap of conjecture or speculation, which is not admissible in pure news.
Mass Communication Process
News will always have a presence within the multiple information channels that are used by professional journalists. Consequently, they must be completely au fait with the operation, scope and limitations of the news system. News is one of the main tools for mass communication, delivering timely and relevant information to the viewer.
TECH Technological University is currently developing a broad educational portfolio aimed at ensuring the success of the modern professional. Within its Faculty of Communication and Journalism, it offers programs such as the Professional Master’s Degree in Fashion, Beauty and Luxury Business Communication and the Professional Master’s Degree in Communication Business Management. However, for those professionals seeking to master the field of mass communication, there is no doubt that the Professional Master’s Degree in Audiovisual Journalism is the program for them.
