News is information about current events that affect the lives of people. It can be about war, politics, government, economy, health, education, crime and entertainment. It may also contain opinions, facts and analysis. News is typically published in newspapers, magazines and on the Internet. It is often broadcast on radio and television, but the Internet allows it to be distributed more widely and quickly. Historically, most news was conveyed verbally, but the development of printing allowed it to be recorded and preserved.
When writing a news article, it is important to begin with a clear idea of what you want to write about. If possible, think about what your audience will be interested in reading about. Whether you are writing for an online or print publication, know your demographics and tailor your information to them.
The first step in writing a news article is to develop an interesting headline. Although other members of your publication staff will usually write the headline, a good title is vital for catching people’s attention and letting them know what to expect from the story.
Once you have a headline, the next step is to write the lead. The lead is the first paragraph of the news article and should be clear, concise and include many of the key points of the story. A well written lead will help readers decide whether or not they want to read the entire news article.
If you are going to include quotes, it is important that you choose your sources carefully. If possible, try to use a variety of sources and interview several people. This will allow you to get different perspectives on the story and will add a more personal touch to the piece. Using the right tone and structure in your writing is also very important. For example, a journalist should avoid using first person pronouns in news articles and should instead focus on the third person.
A good way to test whether an article is newsworthy is to ask yourself if it is “new, unusual, interesting and significant.” The more of these criteria the story meets, the better it will be. For example, a coup in a neighboring country will be more newsworthy than one in the US because it is likely to have an impact on local people.
Timeliness is another important factor. While events occur all the time, they only become newsworthy if they are new or unexpected. Large media outlets often focus on timeliness because it drives reader interest.
Other factors which make newsworthy stories include weather, food and drink, money, the environment, sport and celebrity. Weather phenomena such as storms, floods and snow can disrupt people’s daily routines, while changes in food supply, crop disease, drought or harvest size affect people’s livelihoods. Money-related news includes fortunes made and lost, compensation claims, salary rises, taxes and the Budget. Similarly, stories about entertainment such as music, theatre, cinema and carving keep people informed about what is happening in the arts.