Common crossword clue answers for "news item" include several words of different lengths:

• EVENT (5 letters)
• REPORT (6 letters)
• ARTICLE (7 letters)
• APDISPATCH (10 letters)
• OBIT (4 letters)
• FLASH (5 letters)
• BULLETIN (8 letters)

These answers are typical solutions found in various crossword puzzles for the clue "news item" and vary in length depending on the puzzle requirements.