News is a collection of information, painstakingly gathered and verified, that is reported to the public. It is based on reports, interviews and documentary evidence. The information is presented in a format that is interesting, readable and understandable. It is intended to be fair and balanced. It may include opinions and analysis that are supported by facts. It reflects the culture and current events of the time. It can include stories from local, national and international sources. News can be broadcast on radio and television as well as published in newspapers, magazines and periodicals. It can also be delivered via the Internet.

How do journalists decide what is news? They make judgments about what is important, interesting and significant. They also make decisions about how a story should be written. They also have to decide how a story should be ordered on their website or newspaper’s front page.

The most important thing to remember when reading the news is that not everything that happens is newsworthy. It is up to the reader to decide what is important and not.

To make newsworthy, a story needs to be new, unusual, interesting, significant and about people. It also must have an impact on the lives of a large number of people or a wide range of interests.

For example, a political coup in another country is much more likely to be big news than the resignation of a CEO of a company that no one cares about. The reasons for this are complex, but it is important to be aware of the difference between the most and least newsworthy stories.

When reporters are covering a story, they must find out all the facts that they can about it. They must also make sure that they are quoting and referencing their sources correctly. If they are not, then they can be accused of bias and misreporting. They need to check that their sources are telling the truth and that they are avoiding rumours or gossip.

Once they have their information, they need to organize it into a story with a headline and lead paragraph that tells what is happening. They must then explain the background to the story and consider what impact it will have on people’s lives.

Finally, they need to write the body of the article, focusing on the five Ws (who, what, where, when and why). They should use quotes from their sources as well as provide background information to help readers understand the story.

Veteran reporters have the skills to add value to their work by enhancing the content with details that bring readers to the scene. They listen for telling snippets of conversation and dialogue, watch for telling images and capture the sense of place. They know that description for its own sake merely clutters and confuses. They use all of their senses, and they are adept at evaluating and interpreting data. To help students develop these skills, give them a report from the Journalist’s Resource website that requires a degree of statistical evaluation and interpretation.