News analysis is the ability to analyze media content—such as a news article or research journal article—to understand its context and meaning. This is a critical skill that helps readers become more media literate and informed in their decision-making. It involves assessing the following aspects of media: Message Purpose: Identifying what the media is trying to accomplish—either inform, persuade, or entertain. Media Techniques: Analyzing the verbal and visual components of the content. Biases: Identifying potential biases in the media. Contextual Understanding: Taking into account historical, cultural, and political factors that influence the media.
The basic form of news analysis is the news report, which focuses on reporting events as they happen. This style of writing strives for objectivity and timeliness, while also avoiding false balances by not taking sides in an issue. It’s often the first type of information people think of when they hear “unbiased reporting.”
A feature article is a deeper dive into a particular topic or person than a straight news story. It may use narrative techniques or literary devices to convey its message, and is usually accompanied by visual aids like photos or illustrations. Opinion articles are a bit more subjective than the other two, and take a stance on a subject or debate (e.g., a lawyer writing about criminal justice reform).
News analysis is also used in financial risk management to assess and mitigate market risks such as credit, shape, sector, liquidity, and volatility. For example, a bank may develop a news sentiment analysis model to arrive at more accurate risk estimates for their portfolio, or use it in an algorithmic trading system to create desired volume distributions and force greater market participation when necessary.