News and Information is information about recent happenings, often conveyed in a newspaper or on radio or television. It may also refer to new information about a person or organization or to a particular view of an event or situation.

What people hear and see about the world around them is shaped by a variety of factors, including how their communities are organized, how much money they have, how much time they spend watching TV or reading newspapers, the quality of local schools, the level of public debate about political issues, and the amount of local crime.

Using this information, reporters try to present as much of the world as possible to their readers. They usually separate news into three categories: hard news (important events or issues), soft news (personal, human interest stories), and opinion pieces that have a clearly stated point of view. Reporters use a variety of strategies to find and gather news, including calling in tips, relying on news releases sent to the media by organizations, attending community meetings and rallies, or talking with their own sources.

The way in which journalists cover news has changed dramatically as the traditional business model that subsidized professional journalism began to collapse. This change has left many journalists searching for ways to keep their audiences informed with the limited resources they have.

One of the most important changes has been in how news is sourced. In a study of six major news threads on local television and two on radio in Baltimore, the researchers found that only 23% of those stories contained any original reporting. Instead, most of the stories were retreads from other sources–newspapers, the government, or other media outlets.

This trend has been accelerated by the growth of online newspapers, blogs, and specialty news sites, which provide an opportunity for almost anyone to publish information about anything. In addition to presenting new material, these sites often allow viewers to comment on the information and add their own views. These writers, who are sometimes called citizen journalists, have a different perspective from the traditional journalists and are usually more concerned about making a difference in their communities.

In a society in which perceptions can quickly affect policy, it is vital for organizations to protect their reputations by being proactive about news management. This can include ensuring that the facts about their work are correct and that the tone and language of a story are appropriate for their audience.

In his book The Culture of Lying, Paul Weaver argues that the press and the government are entangled in a vicious circle of mythmaking. The press creates crises in order to dramatize news and the government uses the press to shape public perceptions of its actions. This leads to a mutually destructive pattern of self-delusion and lies. A key to breaking free of this tyranny is for the public to understand the true role of the news media and its responsibility to tell the truth.