National news covers events and topics with a national scope and impact, such as politics, the economy, major disasters or international affairs. It is usually published in national newspapers or broadcast nationally on television and radio. As the number of local media outlets has decreased, national news coverage has increased and influenced how local issues are reported. This can have a negative impact on the ability of residents to be well-informed about local matters like city governance or community safety and security, leading to decreased civic engagement at the local level.
Cable news channels are a type of broadcasting network that specializes in news reporting. The first nationwide cable news channel, CNN, launched in 1980. The Persian Gulf War propelled the channel to national prominence, as CNN was the only network to broadcast live from inside Iraq during the early hours of American bombing.
Other notable cable news channels include Fox News Channel, MSNBC and CNBC. These networks are generally referred to as the big three cable news channels. They are among the most watched news channels, with Fox News having the highest ratings and viewership.
Other niche news channels include the Weather Channel, which is the market leader in the field of weather forecasting and is available on satellite, cable, free-to-air C band satellite and through a live streaming Internet service. Bloomberg Television is a business news channel founded in 1994 by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and it is carried on Optimum and Suddenlink cable systems, as well as Charter Spectrum and AT&T U-verse.