A news outlet is a publication (like a newspaper, magazine or television station) that delivers current events and opinions to its readers, listeners or viewers. Its purpose is to inform people about events and issues in their own communities and the world around them. It may also set an agenda, shaping public opinion by what it chooses to report and how it reports it.
A news organization often employs a large number of staff in varied roles. Journalists and reporters uncover stories by keeping an eye on areas of interest to the public such as politics, business or sports. Once a journalist has a potential story, they will research background information and interview individuals to create a balanced account of the event or situation. They will then submit their work to a news editor or sub-editor, who determines the focus or emphasis of the story and heavily edits it for clarity and style.
Finally, editors decide which articles or packages of stories will be published and assign them to writers. They lay them out on dummy pages, after which the chief editor approves the content and sends it for printing or broadcasting. The writer is then credited with the story byline in the finished product.
Americans get their news in many different ways, with digital devices, social media and search engines the most popular. But how much of the news they consume varies by age, gender, race and ethnicity, educational attainment and political leaning.
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