It is not uncommon in today’s world to encounter people who no longer listen to the news. The main reason is because of all the negative stories. Being constantly bombarded with stories of crime, political scandals, and poor outlooks on society can cause gloomy emotions. However, the news is important and comes with some benefits to help moderate the negative stories.
Information
The main reason news is important is because it informs the public about events that may affect them. Politics and elections are important news areas, particularly during a presidential election year. People seek political news that subscribes to their belief systems, whether that be liberal, conservative, or moderates unbiased news. Negative stories can also be important. Information about threats to public safety, although not pleasant, can help people protect themselves from harm.
Entertainment
Entertainment provides a distraction from real life, and this is also true with entertainment news. Information about faraway places most people never visit can be entertaining. The world is a fascinating place with multitudes of peoples and cultures difficult to imagine without the news. Learning about life outside of one’s bubble can aid in a feeling of connectedness to the world.
Socialization
Gathering places, virtual or otherwise, for social interaction are provided by news also. Comment sections in online news sites provide a space for people to discuss the news. Sometimes the comments are made solely to provoke others. Looking past those comments, one can find some real conversations. The drawback of such social gathering places is that they can become prime advertising opportunities, and this can cause a conflict of interest in the way news is reported.
News can be difficult to swallow at times, but its importance is difficult to dispute. People look to the news to help them keep safe, to escape reality for a while, and to converse with others.