News is information about current events that is communicated to the public through various media channels such as word of mouth, printing, postal systems, broadcasting and electronic communication. It plays a crucial role in keeping the public informed about local, national and international affairs. It also promotes accountability by holding individuals and governments accountable for their actions and decisions. It also provides analysis and interpretation of events, allowing the public to form opinions based on deeper understanding.
Generally speaking, anything that is new makes news. This may include things such as weather events (hurricanes, floods, droughts etc), terrorism or crime. It is the significance of the event which determines its newsworthiness; a coup in the neighbouring country, for example, will be much bigger news than a murder in your own city.
People: The most important element of any news story is the people involved. This includes famous people and ordinary citizens. People also love to read about controversies, conflicts, charges and counter-charges, arguments and tension. People are particularly interested in those who have done wrong or are being punished for their crimes, but even good deeds make interesting news if they are unusual or unexpected.
Money: People are also very interested in stories about wealth and poverty. This includes fortunes made and lost, budgets, food prices, wage rises and compensation claims. They are also keen to hear about economic trends and what the future holds.
Controversy: Stories about controversies and conflict attract the interest of readers because of the human element involved. People like to empathise with the victims and villains of such stories. Prominence: A famous person’s death or any other news that concerns a well-known individual usually makes the headlines.
Entertainment: Stories concerning sex, show business and human drama often make the headlines because of the interest they generate. These stories also provide opportunities for humorous treatment and entertaining photographs.
Research: A key part of writing news articles is the research required to get all the facts and figures correct. This is especially important if an event or story is developing on the global stage as it can affect all of us.
It is important to know your audience when writing news. You should tailor the tone and content of the article to your readers to make it relevant and interesting. It is important to keep the reader’s attention throughout the whole piece. A way to do this is to place the most interesting and significant facts at the top of the article, above the fold (a term referring to the crease in a newspaper). This will ensure that they are read first before being skimmed over. It is also a good idea to use the first name and initials of all the people mentioned in a news article, rather than just using a surname. This prevents jarring the reader by an abrupt switch to second or third person. This is a convention which is used in all forms of print and broadcast journalism.