A news outlet is an organization or platform that gathers, reports, and disseminates news to the public through a variety of mediums such as print, television, and radio. News outlets can be highly influential in shaping people’s perceptions of events, issues, and political matters, which can influence their attitudes and behaviors.
Compared with other types of writing, which may focus on technical explanations or artistic expression, news articles prioritize delivering verified facts in a concise and structured format. In addition, a good news article should clearly state what it is about, who said or wrote it, and how the information was gathered or sourced.
The majority of Americans get their news at least sometimes on digital devices, with social media and search engines being the most popular sources. Getting news on TV is less common, with 33% of Americans saying they often or sometimes do so. Radio is used far less frequently, with just 26% of Americans reporting that they often or occasionally get their news from it.
In the United States, the major non-profit national broadcaster is PBS, which has 349 member stations that air a wide variety of news and public affairs programming, including newscasts such as All Things Considered and Morning Edition. Many cable and satellite TV channels also offer news coverage, while online news sites can be either general or niche-oriented, covering specific interest areas such as politics, sports, and celebrity gossip. Broadcast and online news outlets can also produce feature-length documentaries that explore an event or issue in greater detail.