National news is a form of journalism focused on events that impact the entire country or a nation, such as wars in which the country is involved and summits of multilateral organizations to which the country belongs. The term can also refer to stories that focus on the nation’s political leaders or institutions, including government and the military.
In the United States, cable news channels specializing in national news include CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC and Bloomberg Television. There are also many regional 24-hour news channels that specialize in local or statewide news, such as NY1 (which operates from New York City), News 12 Networks, FiOS1 and the former Northwest Cable News. There are even a number of specialized sports news channels that are based on specific regions or events, such as ESPNews and Big Ten Network.
A national news channel can be part of a traditional media outlet such as a newspaper or radio station or it may be owned by a cable or satellite TV provider. The latter is often referred to as a “news and information channel” and can be found on the dedicated news and information tiers of cable or satellite providers.
There are also a number of independent national news channels that are available through a variety of subscriptions. These include CBS Sports HQ, TheBlaze and NewsNation. Additionally, RFD-TV is a national satellite channel focusing on rural issues that has nationally-produced newscasts and discussion programs, as well as a five-hour block of news coverage during the weekday.