News is the information that is conveyed about events that affect people. It can be written in a variety of formats, but it must be interesting and factual or it won’t have the impact that journalists aim for.
News articles should not contain any opinions and should be free of bias. However, it can be difficult to create a news story that is completely unbiased. There are many factors that influence news stories, and they vary from country to country. Some of these factors include the government, cultural norms and economic pressures.
Some societies consider a story of little importance if it does not involve the activities of prominent people. Other societies are interested in the private lives of famous people, especially when they become involved in scandals. In every society, some people have more money than others, and this is a major source of interest. Money is often the topic of news, as are business failures and successes, bankruptcies, investments, stock market trends and the buying and selling of real estate.
Another important factor is weather. People are often interested in weather forecasts, and it is also common for news stories to report on extreme weather conditions. In some countries, snowfall and floods are of particular interest, while in others the hottest or coldest days of the year are of greater concern.
Other important elements of a news story include sports, celebrities and politics. Sports fans are interested in scores and statistics, particularly if they are related to their favorite teams. Celebrities are a major source of entertainment, and their behavior is also of great interest to the public. Politicians and their positions on issues are also of interest, as are the policies of governments.
A classic definition of news is “dog bites man; man bites dog.” While this is an accurate summary, it is not universally applicable. For example, a cow may be more important than a pig in one society, and so the death of one of these animals will be more newsworthy than the death of the other animal.
In addition, some news stories contain quotes from the people involved in the event. This makes the article more believable and can add a personal touch to the story. However, it is critical that quotes are sourced correctly. A skewed quotation can completely change the tone of an article and make it look biased.
Choosing a good news outlet is an important aspect of keeping up with current affairs. The BBC is viewed as an impartial source of information, and the US-based Associated Press is also seen as a trustworthy news source. It is also possible to find a news aggregator site that will present you with multiple different viewpoints on an issue. This is an excellent way to get a balanced perspective on a situation. However, it is vital to be aware that even the best of news outlets have some degree of bias. If you can’t find a genuinely unbiased source, it may be best to avoid the news altogether.