National news is information and stories that affect a nation as a whole, rather than a local or regional area (government policies, nationwide crises, major court rulings). It has broad relevance for the population, and is typically prioritized over other news topics. In contrast, local news tends to focus on events and issues that are directly relevant to a particular community.
A national newspaper is a periodical publication that covers politics, culture, business, and sports in the country it serves. They often have a large readership, and can influence public opinion and discourse. Many have shifted to online platforms in order to reach a wider audience, and offer multimedia content to engage readers. Their survival depends on a mix of advertising revenue and subscription fees.
Historically, people transported news from place to place by word of mouth, or via written mediums such as newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Increasingly, the proliferation of internet-capable devices has enabled news to be shared instantly worldwide.
The selection of which stories to report and how they are portrayed is an ongoing process that depends on a wide variety of factors, including news hierarchy, models of news making, and audience engagement. For example, stories are more likely to be reported if they have a strong impact, incorporate violence or scandal, are familiar and locally relevant, or if they are timely. These factors shape the way national versus local stories are selected, and also how they are prioritized by different media outlets.