News is information about events that have occurred or will occur. News can be delivered via newspapers, magazines and radio as well as television and the Internet. News is usually reported by journalists but can also be written by non-journalists. News can be positive or negative in tone. Positive news stories often involve human interest, animals and the environment while negative stories focus on conflict and tragedy. News can also be based on entertainment, such as celebrity news and stories about show business.
What makes newsworthy can vary from society to society. For example, a man who wakes up, eats breakfast and goes to work on the bus may not be newsworthy in one society but would be in another. News also depends on how unusual something is. A dog biting a man is unusual but not newsworthy; however, if a man bites a tiger or lion this is very much newsworthy.
A good journalist can capture the public’s imagination by using a variety of writing styles and techniques. A snappy headline can catch the reader’s attention and set the scene for the story. Using the inverted pyramid style – placing the most important facts at the beginning of the article – is an effective way to ensure that readers see them. Facts should be clearly stated and backed up by quotes from those who can provide them. However, the article should not contain opinions unless they can be attributed to a source that has been vetted.
After an article has been picked for publication, it is laid out on dummy (trial) pages and then sent for printing. If the chief editor approves of its content, language and style, the writer is given a byline and the piece is published.
Many people write news articles and blogs. When deciding what to write, the first thing that should be taken into account is the demographic of the audience. Most news articles are geared towards a specific audience and this is particularly true of local newspapers and websites. The audience for national papers is much wider and they tend to cover events that affect the whole population. They also report on significant international events. In addition to news, many websites feature opinion pieces, personal blogs and features. These can be controversial or amusing and often attract a large following. Many of these blogs and websites are specialised in particular areas such as sports, fashion or politics. Some have a global audience while others are niche and targeted at particular communities. For example, a blog that covers the local Kansas City baseball team might have a small audience while a website about zoning laws for commercial properties might have a much larger audience. These websites are competing with each other to get the attention of their chosen audience. Therefore they need to use a variety of tools and tricks in order to stay ahead of their competitors. In addition to creating original and compelling articles, they must be able to find out what the competition is doing in order to keep their audience.