News is information about events that are happening in the world. It can include things like wars, natural disasters, government policy, celebrity gossip or even what’s on TV. People have been sharing news since ancient times, through oral tradition, with the invention of writing and printing allowing it to become more widespread. It is now possible to share news stories at an incredible speed, through social media and the internet. This allows for more controversial and sensational news to reach a wider audience, but it also means that bad information can spread just as fast.
It is important to remember that a news story is not necessarily objective, it can be influenced by the prejudices and interests of the journalists who write them. There are some theories about what makes newsworthy, such as the Mirror Model which suggests that news should reflect reality, but it is likely that the news agenda is shaped by the commercial interests of the media organisations themselves.
What is considered to be newsworthy varies between societies, and even within cultures. However, there are some general rules that can be applied. A story should be new, unusual, interesting and significant. It should also be about people. It is often said that a news story should answer the five Ws: who, what, when, where and why. A good news story will begin with a dramatic anecdote or surprising fact to grab the reader’s attention, which is called the lede or lead. The nut graph, or heart of the story will then explain what is happening and why it matters to the readers.
Other topics that are of interest to the public are money, power and politics, celebrities and their lifestyles, health, food, fashion, sport and entertainment. It is important for journalists to keep in mind that it is not just what happens in their own communities that is newsworthy, but what is happening around the globe and what is of concern to their readers and listeners.
For example, while most people will not be interested in the death of a bug, it could be newsworthy if it was causing damage to crops. It is also important to remember that news should be current. It does not serve the public’s interest to report on events that happened a week ago, because by then they have already moved on.
Finally, a good news story should be easy to read and understand. Journalists should use simple language and avoid using first-person pronouns such as ‘I’. They should also try to make the article as neutral as possible by presenting all sides of the argument. This can be difficult, particularly in the case of a controversial or sensitive subject. A good journalist will take the time to source their facts and be aware of the biases of their own sources. This will help to make their report more impartial. If a journalist is not confident that their article is accurate they should consider asking an expert for advice.