News is a curated collection of information about the world compiled and broadcast by journalists. It can be published in print, video or online, and consists of events, activities, opinions and ideas. News articles are not always factual, but they must be presented in a way that is unbiased. News articles often state the writer’s opinion but should include enough evidence for readers to form their own opinions.
What makes news is often determined by the public’s need to know, be warned or informed. This is why a coup in the neighbouring country may be seen as a big story, while the same event in another country might not have the same impact.
It is also important to consider the context of the event when assessing its newsworthiness. For example, a man’s day-to-day routine (waking up, eating breakfast and catching the bus to work) is not newsworthy, but if the same person is murdered in his home by assassins then this will be newsworthy.
The underlying theme of most news stories is that human beings are capable of changing the world and so it is natural to focus on events that involve people. However, news can also be about non-human things such as cyclones, bush fires, floods, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
In many societies, the lives of famous people make news and this can be especially true when they have fallen out of favour, lost their wealth or become involved in a scandal. People are also interested in the health of their bodies and so stories about traditional remedies, medical research, diseases, hospitals and clinics, exercise, diet and sex are of interest to many people.
The media is a powerful tool for shaping and amplifying news, but it should not be used to mislead or censor. This is why it is vital that the media is free and that citizens are well informed so that they can choose their own sources of information and decide what to believe.
When writing a news article it is important to get the most interesting and significant parts of the story above the fold. This refers to the crease in a newspaper where the front page is folded over and it is also a good idea when writing for the internet to put your best stories at the top of the page so that they are more likely to be read.
When writing a news article, it is important to ensure that the reader is engaged with the subject matter by having an interesting lead, providing context and detail and using vivid descriptions. A good news article will also be well structured and finish with a strong concluding paragraph that is usually a restatement of the leading statement or a statement indicating potential future developments relating to the topic. This is a technique known as a teaser and it can be a very effective way of keeping the reader interested in your story.
