Definition: Hard news is the kind of fast-paced news that usually appears on the front page of newspapers. Stories that fall under the umbrella of hard news often deal with topics like business, politics and international news.
What defines hard news isn't always about subject matter. Some might call a news story that's heavily reported, on a subject matter considered softer (like entertainment), hard news because of the way it was approached.
Hard news is also a term most often used by journalists and others who work in the media industry, though you will hear others outside the industry use it.
Examples: Some reporters are known for doing hard news.