Generally speaking, political news is the gathering, reporting and analysis of information about politics, campaigns, politicians, and government policy. This can occur on a local, state or national level. It can also involve issues or ballot measures that voters are deciding upon during elections.
Theories of the role of the media in politics often assume that the media serves certain specific political functions, such as recording events, reflecting public opinion, acting as a watchdog to disclose political misbehavior, and facilitating and stimulating citizens’ participation in the democratic process. These functions are largely dependent on the existence of an environment of press freedom, which includes the absence of censorship and open access to a wide range of sources and information.
In general, people in modern democracies follow public affairs in the mass media day after day and use the news for various purposes (e.g., political participation). However, long-term studies do not show significant increases in citizens’ factual political knowledge as a result of news consumption (Delli Carpini & Keeter 1996; Graber 2001).
To be effective at delivering political news, journalists must know what matters to their audiences and how best to reach them. When covering political news, it is important to provide the facts about an event first, and only then share opinions if necessary. Also, when possible, focus on the human element. If a politician is making incendiary comments or engaging in other behavior that goes beyond the norm, try to report on what they believe and why instead of just focusing on their bluster.