News

How technology has shaped how consume news over time

In human history, certain events have shaped the way news is reported, and in particular, the advent of technology has been instrumental in influencing the news industry. Before Gutenberg created the print technology, people relied on word of mouth to share news. With the invention of the print, the process of reporting of the news was formalized because towards the 16^th century, the publication of the news became popular in Venice and Rome. In Rome, reading the Avvisi, as the Romans referred to the magazine at the time, was seen as a symbol of prestige just like it is today in some parts of the world.

The efforts of various inventors including Nikolai Tesla, led to the advent of the radio communication which revolutionized the news industry since the advent of the development of the print technology. One thing about the radio in terms of how it impacted news is that it allowed broadcasters to broadcast news to a larger audience. For their part, the consumers of news found an alternative and cheaper method of being informed of happenings in their country. With the introduction of new frequencies and radio programs, the experience of the listener significantly improved because listeners got the opportunity to listen to their favorite music as they wait for music.

The advent of the TV also marked an important event in the history of the news because unlike the radio, people could see news being read. Initially, affording the TV was out of reach for most families because only the rich owned it. With time, however, the population of the TV owners grew, and watching the television became a family affair where members of the same family would watch the TV together. Today, the TV and indeed the radio, continue to play an important role in broadcasting of the news to millions of people around the world.

The internet is the recent entrant to the news industry, and like its predecessors, it has been a core factor in shaping the way news is reported. Over a billion people have access to the internet, and while a significant number of these people still watch the TV, majority of internet users rely on the internet for their news. This is a trend that will not be stopping soon because the time people spend on the internet has increased in the last ten decades. This can be attributed to a wide range of factors including changing consumer behavior.

Leisure games

People have different preferences in terms of how they may want to spend their free time, and for some, playing video games is the best way to pass time. However, not everyone plays video games just to pass time because for some people, gaming is a form of entertainment just like watching movies. The gaming industry has developed over years, and its growth has been attributed to the constant development of the gaming technology. The Pong game was popular during the era of the third generations computers, but as the computer technology advanced, new games began emerging. With the invention of the brick game in the 1980s, children and adults found a way to entertain themselves. From 1970s to date, there have been significant changes in terms of how people do gaming.

Although the video game console has been with us for quite some time, having been invested in the 1970s, it was the release of the first play station in early 1990s that revolutionized gaming. For the first step, the popularity of the video game began growing among adult users. The PlayStation has largely played an important role in the expansion of the gaming industry. The play station connected to the TV can be used to play games such as FIFA 20, and it is common to see adults playing video games.

New trends in gaming are also emerging, further shaping how gamers interact with other gamers across the world. The latest trend is virtual gaming, and as in the case with other gaming technologies, one can play against the computer or play against other gamers. With this gaming, the gamer immerses themselves into reality and they play as if they are directly involved in the game. In Japan, this is growing into a trend with gamers spending a significant amount of their time in video game cafes. Consequently, video game addiction has grown into a major crisis in the country as more teenagers and children spend time playing video games.

As much as gaming is addictive, the virtual gaming offers advantages that can be useful particularly to the young gamers. For example, constantly playing the game can help improve the gamer’s skills in areas such as multitasking because one has to perform various activities at ago. The game also provides other benefits such as making it possible for the gamers to socialize or kill boredom and loneliness. However, certain games such as Pokeman Go have exposed people to the risk of violence. As people choose to entertain themselves, therefore, they should choose games they feel can offer benefits such as helping build their social skills.

News informs people issues and events that are happening around them and those that happen in other parts of the world, and this is why it is important for reporters and journalists to write news that is informative as well as captivating. Writing informative news articles and report requires both writing skills and knowledge because one can have writing skills but still fail to get it when it comes to organizing the news content. Conversely, knowing how to organize the news content without being a skilled writer can lead to a scenario where one writes poor news report that is less informative.

For anyone who wants to write worthy news story, adhering to certain standards that guide news writing and reporting is crucial because it helps them know how to start and how to phrase their sentences. News would most likely be a report or a story about a recent or current event, and before one starts to write, the first thing they should do is to identify and select a newsworthy topic about a recent incident. The issue one intends to write about should be something that readers might be interested in. For instance, readers may want to know about how they can protect themselves during a period of bad weather if the met forecast that the weather might be bad.

Proper use of quotations, facts, and researched information is necessary for one to create a compelling news article. A good news writer properly uses these elements when writing news stories, and when researching information or facts, one should cross-check with other sources of information just to be sure whatever information they are using is factual. The use of quotations is important because it identifies the people at the center of an incident or those who witnessed it happening. When quoting spoken words or statements, the writer should adhere to the proper language vocabulary standards.

To reiterate what has been written, a person intending to write news stories should ensure they have the skills and knowledge that are appropriate for creating newsworthy content. In addition, they should be aware of the best practices in writing informative news articles. Some of these practices include selecting a topic that is worth reporting about, and using language elements such as quotations. Furthermore, there is need for the writer to use research and facts when writing the article because facts can increase the credibility of the news report.

The use of Podcasts to report News

The use of podcasts to report news is the latest trend in news reporting. Initially, people used podcasts to share their message with others but with time, podcasting has become popular with educators using it classroom, and news reporters using it as a tool for reporting. The BBC is one of the global media companies that are taking advantage of the power of the podcasts to expand its reach, and provide news to thousands of individuals across various parts of the world. The use of the podcast to report news provides various benefits to the news reporter, and to the news consumers.

The podcast boom especially in the media arena is driving the change in the way people consume news. Podcasting brings an element of convenience into the business of news reporting, and even if one does not have access to the television or radio, they can still access news anywhere they are as long as they have access to the internet. One can even download the podcast and listen to it later. The mainstream media has a history of bias reporting. Podcasts eliminate this problem because with podcasts, experts comprehensively give their opinions about reported issue. Therefore, podcast provides the means for one to receive reliable news as well as comprehensive information about a news topic.

Despite the benefits that the podcasts provide, using podcasts as a means of conveying news can disadvantage some listeners especially the people without access to the internet. Podcasting as a means of sharing news, therefore, may be infective where internet access is restricted or is limited. For this reason, it can be a challenge for one to find the right audience. This can also be a challenge considering that podcasts are still not popular with majority of people who listen to news. Therefore, a media company may not be able to reach more people as it may want to.

Despite the issues with podcasting, the use of the podcasts to report news is emerging as an effective method to report news and share with the audience candid talk about an event or an issue. As much as podcasts are still unpopular, their popularity is slated to grow as more personalities such as former president Barrack Obama continue to use podcasts. As more people learn about podcast, there is a chance that an increasing number of consumers of news will embrace it. News reporters will also continue leveraging the podcasts to report news.

Life in Africa

Africa has had numerous conflicts that have often caused human suffering, and currently, organized terrorism is threatening peace and security on the continent. Poverty has compounded to the human suffering because millions of people on the continent cannot access food due to persistent draught. You have probably seen the images of African children crying with flies on their face, or drinking dirty water from the same pond with animals. Although Africa has had its fair share of problems such as the Rwandan genocide, there are great things that are happening on the continent, some of which go unreported.

In reporting what comes from Africa, the western media has always focused on the negatives, often overlooking the positive aspects of Africa. Peddling the distorted narrative about the continent has led to a situation in which majority of westerners perceive the continent as a desolate place or a place of hopelessness. While terrorism and poverty are major issues in Africa, these issues are not as widespread as they are depicted in the western media. Some of us who have had the opportunity to travel to Africa understand the fact that the way the continent is represented on the media is in sharp contrast to what Africa is actually is.

With a total of 54 countries, Africa has managed to grow socially, economically and politically because it home to the fastest growing economies. The investment on infrastructure has tremendously improved across Africa, and this has spurred trade and development. Today, tens of millions of Africans are connected to the national grid because some African governments such as the Kenyan government have stepped up efforts to increase their investment on the green energy solutions. In Nigeria, the number of the tech startups is increasing while in South Africa, medical tourism is growing. The mobile money is also big on the continent, and this is aided by access to cellphones.

Reporting negative things about the continent can scare aware people who may want to invest on the continent. It may also cause some people in the western countries to shy away from experiencing the beauty the continent has to offer. Therefore, there is need for the media in the west to showcase positive things that are coming out of the continent. Africa has demonstrated that it can be a powerful player in pursuing an agenda that benefits human kind. The media or the news companies can help shift the narrative, and portray the continent in a positive light.

Maintaining professionalism and upholding ethical standards when writing news articles.

A newspaper article conveys information about an event that occurred, and when people read stories published in newspapers, they expect to find truth. The use of non-factual information can water down the quality of the news articles, and make them less credible. If people find out that the writer created their own account of events, and left out facts, they may develop negative perceptions towards the news company that published the article. Negative reputation may in turn lead to low readership, and decline in the popularity of the company. Therefore, one needs to demonstrate high standards of professionalism and ethics when writing news reports.

There are key elements that a news writer should pay attention to if they want to demonstrate professionalism. Fairness is one of these elements, and to demonstrate this fairness, one should take time to explore the issue in detail before reporting it. Fairness also means not being biased in the way one reports news, and taking a neutral stance on issues that divide public opinion. Honesty is the other element, and an honest writer is one who writes the truth without having their views swayed by monetary offerings. Courage is an additional quality that a writer should demonstrate because this courage is needed for one to navigate conditions that may encourage skewed reporting of the news.

The idea of witness protection is critical when it comes to reporting of news. Revealing personal details of a witness interviewed to collect information is morally and professionally wrong especially if there is a chance that criminals may use the details to track down the witness. It is the writer’s responsibility to demonstrate trust and honesty by concealing the identity of the witnesses. Even if there is money offered to the writer to uncover the identity of the witness or even kill a story that reveals crime, they should demonstrate integrity by refusing such money because being trustworthy can help build not only the reputation of the writer but the news organization they work for.

If one wants to go a long way in news writing business, they need demonstrate high standards of ethics by being honest and trustworthy. The key to making it in the business of the news writing and reporting is maintaining professionalism in terms of the way one writes and reports news. We are in an era of “fake news” where individuals may twist information to fit their preferences. To stand out therefore, news writers should write fearlessly and honestly.

How the Covid-19 pandemic affected people’s lives

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the entertainment industry was adversely affected because musicians could no longer hold music concerts, and revelers could no longer access entertainment joints. To respond to the growing cases of the Covid-19 governments all around the world, imposed containments measures which included banning public gatherings, ordering the closure of the bars, and prohibiting alcoholic drinks in restaurants. With the implementation of these interventions, businesses including players in the entertainment sector suffered due to the lack of customers. With imposing of the curfew laws, some of the businesses sustained losses, leading to their eventual dissolution. With the cancelation of the concerts and adoption of new measures, some players in the entertainment sector found a way to bypass the effects of the pandemic.

The virtual concerts became popular during the pandemic as musicians streamed live concerts to entertain their followers and fans. Artists used various streaming sites including Zoom, Facebook and YouTube that made it possible for them to keep their fans entertained, and engaged given that some of these sites have features that allow the interaction of the audience. In the United States (U.S.) and other countries, Keith Urban among other artists brought concerts into people’s homes. By organizing these virtual events, the musicians managed to connect with their fans, and for some artists such as Elton John, these events provided the means of raising money for charities.

In the United Kingdom (U.S.), the culture and entertainment sectors suffered following the outbreak of the Covid-19, and this prompted the government to allocated money to help keep businesses afloat, and to support thousands of employees who lost their jobs. The other measures the government took to reduce the impact of the pandemic on businesses that operated in these sectors include offering tax-reliefs, and offering financial support to the people affected by the pandemic. These measures, to a certain degree, helped prevent serious economic impact of the pandemic on the entertainment sector.

Although the pandemic negatively affected businesses in the entertainment sector, these businesses can learn important lessons from this experience. An important lesson that players can learn from this pandemic is that internet is a tool that one can leverage to grow their business, and provide customers with a wide range of services. The other lesson is that businesses should also look for opportunities and adapt during an uncertain event because the future of these players will depend on how well they adapt in uncertain circumstances.

The impact that social media had on the news

Before the internet and the social media came, people relied on the media broadcasting and publishing companies for information. With the introduction of the social media, the way people accessed and consumed news started changing, resulting to the decline in the newspaper readership. The circulation of the sprinted media materials including magazines has reduced since the social media was first introduced during the late 1990s. Should media companies be worried about Facebook and other social media companies? It depends on how one looks at it because there are opportunities and risks for these companies.

The print media is not as popular as it used to be two decades ago because the increase in the number of social media users had led to more people relying on the social sites for information. These sites enable people to freely access information either from the pages of the news companies, or from friends. This has resulted to a situation, in which social media users are constantly up to date with current affairs, and for some people, Facebook and Twitter are ideal sources of information and news. Given the entertainment aspects of the social media, people spend a significant amount of time on social media. This leaves them with limited time to even go through the newspapers.

On the flip side, the social media seems to have brought news companies closer to consumers of information. Three decades ago, it was a challenge to for the media companies to engage with those who consumed their content. The social media has eased how mainstream media companies can interact with their clients given that the social sites allow readers and viewers of the news content to share their thoughts about how news are reported. This feedback is helping businesses in the news industry to improve their news reporting. Users can follow the news companies by liking the social media pages of these companies. With the social media, still, media companies can receive live update of information and report it.

On one hand, the social media is killing newspapers and driving down sales, but on the other hand, it is contributing to the growth in the popularity of the news reporting companies. To fully benefit from the social media, the media companies should take advantage of new opportunities that come with these social platforms. For example, they can add ads in between videos to generate extra revenue. This will compensate for the revenue lost due to low viewership or readership of news.

Foods to gain weight and muscle

People in the world are divided into 2 categories: those who want to lose weight and those who want to gain weight and have a well-maintained and muscular body. Like many people who want to lose weight, those who want to gain weight and have a lot of muscle need to consume good foods. Here are some of the foods your body needs to gain weight and muscle.

1- Smoothie

Smoothie is the best way to gain weight. A home-made smoothie with protein is the best way because commercial versions of smoothies contain less protein and are high in sugar. Combining smoothies with 1 or 2 cups of milk is a perfect combination. Milk mixed with smoothie has more calories than normal milk.

2- Milk

Milk has been used for a long time to gain weight and muscle. It is rich in calcium and has balanced proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Helps increase muscle when you do weight lifting. It is recommended to consume 1 glass before exercise and 1 glass after exercise.

3- Rice

Rice helps in weight gain as it has a small amount of carbohydrates and allows you to consume a large amount of food. Recommended for people who are satiated with little food or have little appetite.

4- Potatoes and foods containing starch

Potatoes and starchy foods are foods that help to add calories. They help not only to gain weight but also increase the amount of muscle glycogen.

5- Salmon and oily fish

Salmon and oily fish contain proteins and fats important for health. They contain omega-3 and fight many diseases of the human body.

6- Red meat

Red meat is one of the most important foods in building muscle. The fattest part of meat allows you to get more calories than its lean part. Red meat fat also helps you gain weight.

How to lose weight

Are you part of those people who are overweight and want to lose weight? We will show you some of the best foods for an excellent diet in order to consume less food and feel full. The calories you burn should be more than the calories of the foods you consume.

1- Beans

Beans digest more slowly and make you full for a long time helping you to spend more time without consuming other food.

2- Soup

Consuming soup at the first meal makes you consume less food. It does not matter how thick the soup is, it is enough just to be with meat juice.

3- Dark chocolate

1 to 2 small pieces of dark chocolate are enough. Consumption of dark chocolate helps reduce food consumption at other meals during the day.

4- Yogurt with berries and nuts

Yogurt with blackberries and walnuts is recommended to be consumed in the morning. Consuming yogurt with berries is better than consuming eggs or sausages in the morning because they contain high amounts of fat. Yogurt with berries is rich in protein and keeps you full for longer than foods high in fat. Yogurt with berries should not be with added sugar.

5- Dried fruits

Just a few small grains of dried fruit such as nuts, almonds or peanuts a day. These help you to consume less food during other meals.

6- Apples

Consumption of apples should be only whole apples and not juice. Apple cider vinegar helps reduce appetite more than its juice.

7- Grapefruits

Grapefruit is recommended to be consumed before every meal for weight loss. It does not matter how much grapefruit you consume. Half a grain is enough. You can also consume grapefruit as a juice, as the results in losing weight are the same. Grapefruit can be consumed for people who are diabetic to lose weight.