National news is the coverage of events that impact the whole country. It can include news about politics, economics, and international relations. It can also be about specific natural or man-made disasters, such as hurricanes and wildfires. This type of news may be reported by local or national outlets.
It is possible to read national news on a wide variety of platforms, including newspapers, TV and streaming services. People can choose which news to consume based on the information they want and how it will affect them personally. When choosing which news to read, it is important to remember that different journalists may have different priorities and opinions about the events that are reported on.
Local news focuses on the needs of a community, catering to a local audience that seeks information about their immediate surroundings. Unlike local news, national news aims to engage a broader audience. This distinction influences the way that news organizations prioritize stories.
National news can be sourced from news agencies, which are organizations that prepare articles that other publications can use with little or no modification. These articles are provided in bulk through wire services (originally telegraph but now mostly Internet). Occasionally, these articles can be sold to individuals or groups, such as companies and intelligence agencies. Journalists who work for a news agency, such as a foreign correspondent, are often referred to as stringers. The word “stringer” comes from the 17th-century courants, the newspapers of Western Europe.