World news or international news is a general term used in journalism to describe the reporting of events or news from outside of one’s home country. This is a distinct field from domestic or national news, which is usually considered the remit of “national journalists.” Historically world news was gathered or sent by foreign correspondents (full-time reporters employed by the press in the countries abroad they cover), though since the invention of the telegraph and later innovations in telecommunications it has been possible for smaller organizations to send articles to be printed without the need for a full-time reporter on staff. The major news agencies, such as AFP, Reuters and Wolff have long provided hard news stories and other material to be published by other outlets.
During World News Now, the anchors often check in with their local ABC news producers from around the country to see what stories they’re working on; this was particularly common when breaking stories occurred (for example, the show would run a clip of a late night affiliate’s live report on a storm). The program also airs repurposed segments and story packages from other ABC News programs like Good Morning America First Look.
The show also features some more lighthearted and irreverent segments such as InsomniACTS, in which a jazz band is invited into the studio to perform a few numbers on-air. On Fridays, the World News Now crew reviews a recent movie release by giving it a rating from 1 to 5; this segment was previously performed by the anchors themselves. Each show closes with some version of the World News Polka – a traditional folk song recorded by a number of artists in the early to mid-20th century – played as the production credits scroll across the screen.