World news is a subsection of journalism that deals with stories about events in places outside the United States, often in the context of global affairs. It is a distinct subfield from national news, which is the coverage of current events within a country’s borders. The bulk of international reporting is compiled by news agencies, which are organizations of journalists that provide a wide range of articles to news outlets, including newspapers, magazines, radio and television programs.
A reporter who specializes in world news is called a correspondent. These reporters typically live abroad in a city and cover one or more countries and/or regions for their employer’s newspaper, magazine, or television outlet. Correspondents often work with local sources in their area of the world, as well as other foreign journalists.
Historically, the news format of world news has been a mix of serious and offbeat stories, along with weather forecasts and sports highlights. The program has also included repurposed segments and story packages from other ABC News programs such as Nightline and ABC World News Tonight. The show was known for its interactive segments, pioneering the use of a web forum that allowed viewers to ask questions and receive responses from the anchors.
The program has been an apparent training ground for new anchors, many of whom have gone on to higher-profile positions with the network or local affiliates. When a full-time anchor moved on from the program, a special ceremony was usually held; in the past, this has involved placing cardboard cutouts of the departing host in the rafters of the original ABC News WNN set.