World news, sometimes referred to as international news or foreign coverage, is a term used in news media jargon to refer to reports about a country or global subject that are not locally produced. The majority of stories in major news organizations’ daily publications and on their television and radio programs are world news, especially if they concern wars, terrorism or summits of multilateral organizations that involve countries from many different regions of the globe.
A world news story may be written or reported by a reporter who is sent to a location in another country (such as a correspondent) or by a local journalist who files a story to the head of a national news bureau. In the latter case, the local correspondent (often a reporter with a permanent contract to work for a newspaper or TV station) usually maintains contact with local government officials and other citizens, as well as with local news sources in order to find out more information about developing events.
In addition to the main story, World News Now is often interrupted by breaking news developments and other localized news items (such as a blizzard in New York City) that require immediate attention. A regular feature on the program is anchors checking in with news producers at ABC affiliates around the country to see what’s going on in their markets.
World News Now is also known for featuring unusual features such as a segment called “Insomniac Theater,” in which an anchor reads aloud a short e-mail from an individual viewer, and a segment called “Insomniac Kitchen” in which the anchors visit a New York City restaurant to get ideas for late-night snacks that viewers can make at home. When a full-time anchor moves on, the show has a tradition of celebrating their departure with a send-off of some kind. For example, when co-anchor Nancy Nair left the show on February 17, a short tribute to her by Nelson and several other anchors was aired; Nair also treated the crew of the newscast to breakfast on her last day.