Filler — Short news or information items used to fill small spaces in the news columns. Five W's — Who, what, when, where, why (sometimes "H" for how); the major questions answered in the lead of a well-written news story.

Yes, there are a few reasons why news articles are usually short. One reason is that news articles are often written to be concise and to the point. They are meant to provide clear and concise information quickly.