What Is News?
News is information that relates to what is happening in the world, or within areas of culture that are of interest to a particular audience.
The purpose of the news media – newspapers, magazines, radio and television – is to inform and educate their readers, listeners or viewers. It is not their job to entertain them, although entertainment can come from music and drama programs on radio, cartoons and crossword puzzles in newspapers.
In a society with limited resources, the media provide a vital service in helping people make up their minds about what they should think and how to act on it. The same event, however, can have different levels of importance in different societies and will be talked about in different ways, depending on the relative significance of the relevant factors.
If an insect, for example, has been found living on a plant which it did not previously inhabit, this may be a new discovery and a significant event, but it would not merit much attention in a general newspaper or news broadcast. It is, however, a story which might be of considerable interest to scientists, or a specialist publication.
A journalist will decide what counts as news and how much emphasis to give to it, based on the prejudices of both the individual journalists and the news outlet in which they work. It is a delicate balance, but it is an important one.
Before you write a news article, ask yourself the “5 W’s” (who, what, when, where and why). The answers to these questions will help you determine what is most important to include in your piece and how it can be written in an engaging way.
Who is your target audience?
If you are writing a news piece for an online publication, you will need to make sure that the subject matter is interesting enough to keep your readers’ attention. You will also need to make sure that you are writing in an accurate and professional manner.
When you are writing a news article, you will need to check that all of your facts are correct and up to date. If you make a mistake, it can negatively impact your credibility as a writer. It is crucial to have another pair of eyes look over your story before it is published.
What is the purpose of this article?
The purpose of a news piece is to inform, educate and entertain. It should contain information that is unbiased and impartial, but it is still necessary to be aware of the prejudices of both the news outlet and the journalist.
What is the subject?
The subject of a news piece should be something which will interest your reader, and it is therefore important to choose a topic that is unique. You can then find a good angle for the piece and write it in a way that is both interesting and educational.
In addition to ensuring that you have all the facts correct, it is crucial to finish your article by wrapping up and concluding it properly. This is usually done by restating the leading statement (thesis) and indicating any potential future developments relating to the article topic.