News is information about events, people or things. It is usually reported in a newspaper or magazine and is available via the internet, radio or television. News is often presented as current or breaking and covers a wide variety of topics, including politics, crime, war, sports, weather and business. A news story may be reported in the form of an article, a photo or a video clip. News is essential to all societies, as it helps them understand the world around them and make informed decisions.
How news is written and how it is consumed varies across societies. Historically, news was transmitted orally. However, the advent of the printing press allowed more information to be conveyed at a greater rate and the development of electronic media has increased the speed at which news is transmitted. The speed of transmission and dissemination has also been influenced by governments seeking to control the flow of information in times of revolution or civil unrest.
Writing a news article requires attention to detail and the ability to convey facts clearly. A good news article answers the five Ws – what, when, who, where and why – and includes interview quotes from sources that have insight into the topic. It is also important to consider the audience for a news article when selecting a topic and preparing for interviews.
A good headline is an important element of a news story, as it captures the reader’s interest and gives them a glimpse into what the article is about. A strong lede – an interesting anecdote, surprising fact or dramatic situation – is also crucial for getting readers to read on. The nut graph, which provides an overview of the main points of the story, should follow the lead. This section answers the questions who, what, when, where and why and often places new developments in context by describing the bigger picture.
Some events or stories are naturally more interesting or significant than others. For example, a cyclone or bush fire is more likely to be newsworthy than an earthquake. But even in the case of natural disasters, the newsworthiness of an event can be influenced by how many of the five criteria for newsworthiness a story meets – it must be new, unusual, interesting, significant or about people.