News coverage is the content in newspapers, magazines, TV and other forms of mass media that report on current events. It includes a mixture of political events, crime stories, business news, weather reports and opinions (political cartoons and editorials).
The way that news is presented can influence our perceptions of the world around us. For example, constant news coverage of natural disasters, terrorist attacks and other catastrophes can contribute to a sense that the world is a dangerous place, even though these events are statistically unlikely to affect you personally. It can also cause you to feel overwhelmed by bad news, as many of these stories focus on the negative aspects of human existence.
Framing: The selection of information quoted, the choice of images and the layout of a story can create specific ways of understanding issues. For example, a journalist who frames an article on migration by focusing on the number of refugees and the number of people living in poverty can increase the empathy of readers toward migrants. However, if the same journalist focuses on the lack of jobs and eroding economy as causes of immigration, he or she may provoke more opposition to the refugee crisis.
If you are interviewed for a news story, do not expect the reporter to show you the final piece before it is published. Due to deadlines, it is often impossible for journalists to do this. Also, some reporters prefer to file ideas for future articles rather than pursue them immediately.
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