What Is News?
News is the information obtained about current and interesting events, delivered to the public in an objective way. It is a part of the mass media that includes radio, television and newspapers. It is important to note that the news must be unbiased in accordance with the ethics of journalism.
The deciding factors for what constitutes news is not necessarily the same in different societies. For instance, a coup in one country is more likely to make the news than another because of the potential impact on local society. The other factor is whether the news is new, unusual, interesting, significant or about people.
Crime, fortunes made and lost, health and the environment are common themes of news stories. All societies are interested in the lives of famous people and what they do. They are also interested in gossip and scandal – things that go against generally accepted standards.
News articles should be brief so that readers can quickly absorb them, clear so that they are easily understood, picturesquely written to arouse interest and, above all, accurately presented so that the reader is informed. News articles must be based on facts, and if the opinion of an expert is included, it should be clearly labelled as such.
News articles should be written in the inverted pyramid style, with the key points at the top and the least important ones at the bottom. The inverted pyramid structure enables the reader to scan the whole article. Use short paragraphs and subheadings to break up the text. If possible, include quotes from sources to provide additional insight and perspective.