What is News?

     What is news? What is journalism? These two terms have become some of the most polarizing ones in the dictionary and are now harder than ever to find.

    "Where do you get your news?" 

    If you walked onto a street and asked this question to 100 people, a majority would say something like CNN or Fox. But are these two networks news? Quite simply, no. 

    As commentary and opinion dominate the networks, many Americans are left to find the truth themselves. Americans can no longer turn on their television and find out what is going on. Now, they can turn on their TV and find out how a single "journalist" feels. 

    I asked some people the earlier questions. Let's look at their answers.

• Question: Define news in one sentence.
• Journalism Major
• "News is pivotal and truthful information that is necessary for the public to be connected to the world they live in"
• Political Science Major
• "The study of behavior in the physical and natural world"
• Business Major
• "A source of current events"
• Education Major
• "News is literally what the people want to hear not necessarily the truth of a matter"

    Four different people. Four different backgrounds. Four different definitions.

An example of a newsroom

    So I will ask it again. What is news?

    News is truth. News is information. News is honesty. News is unbiased. News is factual. 

    What is not news?

    News is not commentary. News is not your opinion. News is not biased. News is not CNN. News is not Fox.

    The Society of Professional Journalists puts it simply. "Seek truth and report it. Minimize harm. Act independently. Be accountable and transparent."

    It is time for people to listen to just that. As Byron Pitts from ABC recently said it, "There is a difference between a journalist and someone who gives their opinion. If you're gonna call yourself a journalist, stay in your lane. Live in your place."