World news is a term used to describe news stories that relate to international events. In journalism, world news is typically news sent by foreign correspondents or – more recently – reported through distance communication technologies like telephone, television and the internet. This is distinguished from domestic news coverage which would be covered by local news programs.
World News Now (also known as WNN) is an American overnight news program shown by ABC affiliates Monday through Friday mornings. It features a mix of general and off-beat news stories, weather forecasts, sports highlights and repurposed segments from other ABC News programs. It has often been a training ground for new news presenters who went on to higher-profile positions with the network or local affiliates.
The show also featured a number of interactive segments. For instance, viewers could submit e-mails to the anchors through the World News Now website; these messages were read on air during the next segment by the host, sometimes with humorous responses from the anchors. Similarly, WNN pioneered the use of video clips from the field that let viewers see what was happening to the reporters in the field.
WNN was known for its lighthearted, irreverent nature. In one popular feature, the show’s meteorologist offered weather predictions for exotic and remote locales such as Cicely, Alaska or Twin Peaks, Washington, while playing an accordion and singing a song called “The World News Polka.” The show also included a short quiz segment called World News Knows where a trivia question was displayed on-screen after each commercial break. When a full-time anchor left the show, it was often marked by a send-off ceremony that involved cardboard cutouts of them in the set’s rafters.
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