News coverage refers to the reporting of current events in print and broadcast media. It may cover global, national, or local events and is often accompanied by pictures or video footage. News has been a powerful force in society since ancient times, and it can influence how people think and perceive important international events, including war.
The media influences how people behave by shaping their values and attitudes. It also plays a crucial role in raising awareness about new issues and novel concerns, and it can influence the problems that people perceive as pressing [1].
How stories are selected to be covered can influence how they are perceived by readers and viewers. Stories that have strong impact, incorporate violence or scandal, are familiar and local, and are timely tend to attract more attention [2]. Those who are highly concerned about a specific problem are often motivated to act on it, especially if the media elevates it into the spotlight and elicits empathy from readers or viewers.
Moreover, what is not reported can be just as impactful as what is reported. Omissions can skew public understanding of an issue, and they can lead to one-sided views on controversial topics like the Israeli-Hamas war. Additionally, what is deemed “newsworthy” can be dictated by the agendas of individuals and organizations that fund the media. This is known as the “reporter-source” bias and can occur on both large and small scales. This can be particularly problematic in cases of government-owned news outlets, such as RT in Russia and Al Jazeera in Qatar.
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