News is information about events that are important to people. It is usually reported in newspapers, magazines and radio. It can also be reported on the Internet. News is important to people because it enables them to make decisions about the world around them. The aim of news is to inform, educate and entertain.
The first step to writing a news article is to find out about the event that you are going to write about. Ask yourself the following questions: Who, what, when, where and why. This will help you to find out the most important facts about the story. It is important to know all of the details about the event so that you can report it accurately.
Once you have the facts, it is time to start writing the news article. The headline should be snappy and clearly define the news item. The article should then be written in a formal tone and should avoid using first-person pronouns, such as ‘I’ or ‘you’. You should use third person pronouns, such as ‘he’,’she’, or ‘it’. You should always cite your sources and use quotes to back up your claims.
The news items that are most important to people are usually about famous people, health and sex. However, there is often a lot of interest in local news too. For example, people will be interested in how much rain has fallen, how hot or cold it is and what sporting events are happening locally.
People will also be interested in the way that their government or local authorities are dealing with problems, such as floods, droughts, bushfires and volcanoes. They will also be interested in how businesses are doing and any new jobs that are being created.
Some events will only be interesting to a small number of people. For example, scientists may report that an insect has discovered a way to live on a plant which it did not previously inhabit. This is an unusual and interesting discovery, but it will only be of interest to a small number of people.
When deciding what is newsworthy, the editors of newspapers, magazines and radio will look at the six elements mentioned above. They will also consider whether an event is new, unusual, significant or about people. They will then decide how much of the information should be given in the news item and what should be left out.
There is a common saying in the United States that “if it bleeds, it leads.” This means that stories that involve violence or that are very serious will be given priority. This is because they are more likely to grab the attention of people reading or listening to the news. This is why these stories are often the lead story on television, in a newspaper or on radio. The less serious news is then given later in the bulletin or on an inside page. In addition, many different types of news stories are now available online.