News is information about current events that has been reported in the media. It can be found in a variety of different formats, including print, radio, television and online. News can be classified as hard or soft and may affect the public’s opinion of a particular situation or event.
A good news story is one that has a lot of interest and significance for people. It can also be entertaining or exciting, but it must be something that has actually happened, not a fictional tale. The events that make news are usually significant to a large number of people and often involve conflict or disaster.
The main reason that a news story is important is that it provides us with information about what’s going on in the world and how it affects us. It is the job of the media to report news that is as accurate and unbiased as possible. This can be difficult, as the news is not always what we want to hear and the media are subject to various pressures from a wide range of interests.
There are many different models for what constitutes news, such as the Mirror Model which states that news should reflect reality and influence readers. The Bargaining Model suggests that news is influenced by the pressures of political environments and various commercial interests. The Professional Model suggests that the skills of journalists are important in determining the impact that news has on readers.
When writing a news article it is essential to begin with a strong lead that captures the reader’s attention. This is usually done by using a dramatic anecdote or a surprising fact. The article should then contain a summary of the news item that answers the questions who, what, where, when and why. This is known as the nut graph and should be placed at the top of the article, above the fold in newspapers or on the top of the screen when writing for the web.
Generally speaking, news articles are written in third person, except when there is an obvious reason to use first or second person. It is important to avoid jarring the reader with abrupt switches of person. It is also a good idea to give the names of all parties involved in the news item, as well as their occupations or positions in government.
When writing a news article it is also necessary to be aware of deadlines. It does not do the newspaper any good to write about a disaster that occurred weeks ago, as most of the community will already have forgotten about it. News writers need to keep a close eye on what is happening around them and be sure to include any relevant developments as soon as they happen. It is also a good idea to have someone else read the article, as a fresh set of eyes can pick up on errors that the writer has overlooked.