newsticker-retrieval-method

newsticker-retrieval-method is a variable defined in `newst-backend.el'.
Its value is

intern

Documentation:
Method for retrieving news from the web, either `intern' or `extern'.
Default value `intern' uses Emacs' built-in asynchronous download
capabilities ('url-retrieve'). If set to `extern' the external
program wget is used, see `newsticker-wget-name'.

You can customize this variable.