News is information about current events that is spread to a wide audience. This can be done by radio, television, newspapers, magazines and even social media networks. In the past, national news was gathered by a small number of professional journalists and published in a limited number of publications (usually local or regional). However, technological changes in the last few decades have facilitated more efficient means of news gathering and publication and the boundaries between for-profit, public and non-profit news outlets have become increasingly blurred.

National news may cover a variety of topics that affect the whole country, such as national scandals or disasters. It can also include local issues that have a significant impact on the country. The emergence of the Internet has enabled more news to be disseminated, as well as a greater interplay between local and national issues.

In the United States, cable news services broadcast live coverage of breaking events 24 hours a day. This is made possible by communications satellite technology. Previously, it might have taken hours or days for an event to reach a town or nation. The same technology has allowed for quick dissemination of news via the Internet and mobile phones.

A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that most Americans (about half) trust major national TV sources as their main source of news. The most trusted national news outlets are ABC News, CBS News and NBC News. These are seen as mainstream, despite the fact that their political leanings vary by partisanship. On the other hand, those who do not trust any of the major national TV news outlets are more likely to name Fox News, The Joe Rogan Experience and Breitbart as their preferred news sources. These outlets are viewed as more conservative than liberal.