News is information about current events. It may be provided in written or spoken form, and can be published on paper, by radio, television, or the Internet. The most common topic of news is war, politics, government, business and health.
The content of a news story is determined by its intended audience, and the perceived importance of the event. This is why it is important to understand your audience before writing a news article. For example, some people may be interested in reading about a celebrity’s marriage, while others would not. The news industry aims to inform and educate its audience. While this is its primary goal, it also tries to entertain. This is done by providing music and drama on radio, or through the use of cartoons and crosswords in newspapers and magazines.
News articles are usually brief because they are about events that happen quickly. This means that they must be interesting, unusual and significant. They are also required to be relevant to the audience, and to be able to follow up on previous news events.
Historically, information about events was transmitted by word of mouth, but the development of printing, postal systems and broadcasting enabled the dissemination of information to a much wider audience. The emergence of the newspaper, and later the radio and television, made it possible for the news to be delivered at a speed previously unimaginable.
People are interested in events that affect them, or those close to them. This includes wars, crimes, accidents and natural disasters. Other things that make good news include discoveries and inventions, political events, changes in law and social developments.
A news story is considered to be significant if it meets several criteria: novelty, immediacy, importance, contrast and magnitude. This is the reason why a bomb explosion in a city is more likely to be covered than an accident that occurs miles away.
The selection of a story for publication is subject to many influences, including journalistic routines (such as meeting deadlines and competition for exclusives), the beliefs of journalists themselves, and the influence of peers (Caple and Bednarek 2015). It is also influenced by the pressures placed on politicians and governmental bodies to shape public opinion.
News writers should try to be fair and impartial in their reporting, and give both sides of an argument. This is important because it allows the reader to decide for themselves which side they agree with. It is also important to cite the sources of your information, so that readers can find the original source and verify your claims. This is especially important if you are presenting facts rather than your own opinion.