National news focuses on events and issues that affect the entire country or have significant national implications. These topics can include politics, the economy and major disasters. National news can be distinguished from local news, which focuses on community events and local government actions.
Different audiences influence how national and local stories are prioritized and reported, resulting in variations in the selection of topics and the way they are presented. For example, proximity and human interest may influence the priority given to local versus national stories. This difference in emphasis can lead to a disconnect between community concerns and civic engagement, as residents become well informed about national issues but not about local problems.
A news story’s subject can also impact its ability to be objective. For instance, a story about war is often difficult to report in an impartial manner. This type of reporting is sometimes called ‘war journalism’ and is a subfield of national or international news.
Social media has transformed how national and local news is covered, blurring the boundaries between what is reported nationally vs locally. This interplay can be beneficial as it can allow regional issues to gain visibility through social platforms. However, it can also be problematic because it may lead to sensationalized narratives that distort or misrepresent the true nature of a local event. This can create a misleading or inaccurate picture for the general public that could cause them to make biased decisions in their daily lives.