News is a term used to describe current events that affect people, places or things. It is often transmitted via print, television, radio or internet. News can range from global events to small local happenings. People are interested in news if it affects them directly, or it is important to society. News can also be entertaining or humorous.
What is considered to be news is a constantly changing subject and is dependent on the culture of each individual country. For example, a man catching the bus to work may only be of interest in some societies if the bus is new or if he is the only person catching it that day. This is why it is important to know the audience you are writing for when producing news articles.
The five key aspects of news are: surprise, curiosity, importance, magnitude and relevance. The more the news meets these criteria, the better it is likely to be. It is also important to have a strong knowledge of the world around you, this includes a solid understanding of international affairs and government, as well as being aware of ongoing debates in your own country.
Traditionally, the main sources of news have been the written word, with the advent of television and radio broadcasting news items have become more widespread and available to the masses. The internet has also seen a proliferation of websites providing information and news to the public. However, it is still important to have a good understanding of how and why news is gathered and disseminated before you can start writing your own news articles.
When writing news, it is vital to keep in mind that the purpose of news is to inform and educate readers. It is not intended to entertain them, although it can if it does so through music and drama on television or radio, or by crosswords in newspapers and magazines.
It is a good idea to stay up to date with current events on all levels – international, governmental and regional as well as local – as this will allow you to write a news article that has a wide appeal. It is also important to have a good working knowledge of the inverted pyramid style of reporting, and to be able to answer the questions: who, what, where, when and why.
Keeping up to date with the news will also help you to decide which story to write about, and whether or not it is one that deserves to be reported in its entirety. It is always advisable to gather as much evidence about a particular topic as possible, and this can be in the form of quotations from those directly involved, opinions of experts or even research data such as statistics, figures and facts. This will add credibility to your article and make it more reliable. However, it is a good idea to check that these details are correct and true before using them in your news article.