News is information about current events. It is often broadcast or published in newspapers, magazines, radio, television and online. It may include opinions, analysis and interpretation of events, as well as factual reporting.
Creating a good news article involves researching the topic, interviewing sources and outlining the story. Identifying the target audience and writing to their interests is also essential. Finally, the article should be proofread and edited before submission. A good news article will inform readers while capturing their attention and imagination.
In order to be considered newsworthy, an event must have a strong impact or significance and must affect the public. This can be an event such as a natural disaster, an accident or a crime. Alternatively, it can be an important development or change in policy, politics or culture.
Crime: Any crime can make news, from road traffic offences and break and enters to corruption, forgery and rape. More serious crimes or unusual crimes tend to make bigger news stories. Money: Stories about wealth or poverty are often newsworthy, as are stories about budgets, taxes, school fees, food prices and compensation claims. It is not only large sums of money which make news, however; even a small donation can be significant if it comes from a prominent figure or has a high profile.
Other sources of news include government announcements, sport results and weather reports. News articles may also contain reviews of books, movies or other cultural products. These articles can be written by critics or by ordinary people who wish to express their views on a particular product.
It is the job of journalists to present the facts in a fair and balanced manner, and to avoid influencing readers with biased or emotive language. They should aim to be as accurate as possible, balancing accuracy with the need to remain interesting and engaging. It is essential that the news media holds those in power accountable by exposing corruption and unethical behavior.
All information in a news article must be sourced, and the source should be clearly identified. This can be done by using the five Ws of journalism – who, what, where, when and why. The author should also explain how they gathered the information, such as by interviewing the source or by checking official documents, such as police reports. It is a good idea to have another person read the article before submission, as they may be able to catch spelling and grammatical errors that have been overlooked during the proofreading process. This can also help with sentence structure and clarity, making the news article easier to understand. This is especially important if the article will be published in a national newspaper or magazine with a wide readership. For smaller publications or community based publications, this is less of an issue.