News is a report of current events that affect the public. It can be broadcast on radio, TV or in print. It can also be transmitted through the internet. News reports often include information about political or social issues and can influence the way people think. News can be positive or negative and may cause outrage.
Usually, news is about people, but it can be about anything that affects or interests the public, such as natural disasters, scientific discoveries, technological advances, wars and other global conflicts. People’s lives, particularly those of famous people, are also of interest to the media. People who do or say unusual things can be newsworthy, especially if they are influential.
The news is what makes people go “Gee Whiz!”, but it must be reported briefly so that people can read it, clearly so that they can appreciate it, picturesquely so that they will remember it and, above all, accurately so that they will be guided by it. The News Manual offers a set of guidelines for writers: a story should be new, interesting, significant and about people.
The first step in writing a news article is research. It is important to find out as much as possible about the topic of the article, including all sides of the argument. It is also helpful to write down the main facts of the story.
These facts should be listed in the order of their importance and accompanied by any quotes from interviews, which can add depth to the story. After all of the main facts are compiled, they should be put into pyramid “buckets” based on their significance. The news writer should then begin to write the article.
After the article is written, it should be proofread for accuracy and clarity. It is also important to check that there are no grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. If an article is not accurate, it will not be taken seriously and will not have the desired impact.
Finally, it is essential to know the audience for which the article is being written. A general newspaper will have a larger readership than a newspaper written for a specific community. A well written and researched news article can be a powerful tool in raising awareness of an issue or even changing the direction of a country’s policies.
It is important to be aware of the bias of various news outlets. For example, the Wall Street Journal is widely believed to have a conservative lean, while Fox News has a fiery personality that can reflect its viewers’ opinions. There are several sites that monitor news bias, such as AllSides and FAIR. Some of these sites have stinging critiques of the news media and are useful in challenging journalists to be more fair and impartial. In addition, some news outlets are state-owned and thereby have a vested interest in promoting certain viewpoints over others. In these cases, a journalist should be careful to choose the most balanced perspective on an issue.