The growth of social media platforms has significantly altered the way news is consumed, and most news outlets have started performing news gathering functions on these platforms. This new media landscape is also changing consumer behaviour, as shown by a study by Pew Research. Throughout the twentieth century, the United Press International (UPI) was regarded as the world’s leading news agency. However, the company sank in value during the 1980s, and the remaining assets were sold at a fraction of their original price. The United Press International brand is now owned by the Unification Church company News World Communications.
The role of news media is to inform and educate, not to entertain. However, there are other sources of entertainment – like comic strips in newspapers and crossword puzzles on the radio. As a result, news stories must not be dull and should be written with humour in mind. To be truly entertaining, news stories should provide information that is both informative and entertaining.
While there are many different types of news, some of the most common include war, government, education, health, and environment. Other topics include business, fashion, entertainment, and unusual events. Although government proclamations have been called news since ancient times, technological and social developments have greatly increased the spread of news.