News is a form of media that reports current events or developments. It can be delivered via print, television, radio or the Internet. News can be objective or subjective in nature and can have a positive or negative impact on the viewer or reader. Some examples of news include sports, political events, natural disasters, crime and human interest stories. News often provides a glimpse into the day-to-day life of people and can be an important source of information, education and entertainment.
When writing a news article, the most important thing is to choose the right subject matter. The subject should be timely and relevant to the audience of your publication or website. This can be determined by the location, interests and culture of your readers as well as the purpose of the piece. For example, a sports story about a local high school football game will appeal to only one group of readers whereas an international soccer match might be more interesting and relevant to many different communities.
Choosing the right sources for your article can be equally important. Depending on the topic, this might include an expert in that area who can offer technical commentary and analysis or everyday individuals who have experienced the topic first hand. These are often referred to as secondary sources and can add value to the overall message of your news article.
Once you have the right subject and sources, you will need to decide how to present the story. The first step is to write a headline that concisely informs readers of the news item while seizing their interest. Then you will need to write a lead paragraph that summarizes the news item and includes many of the basic facts. The lead will help readers determine whether they want to continue reading the rest of the news article.
Other research into how people use news has looked at what participants consider to be newsworthy and why they consume it. This research is based on the uses and gratifications theory which suggests that people consume news to obtain a variety of gratifications including surveillance, information seeking and keeping up with others.
Crime: Almost any kind of crime can be newsworthy but it tends to be more interesting if it is violent or involves a celebrity. Money: Stories about fortunes made and lost as well as salary rises, tax cuts, Budget issues, food prices, compensation claims or unemployment are all common types of news stories. Health: Generally, all societies are interested in how to live longer and healthier lives so stories about traditional remedies, medical advances, diseases, hospitals and clinics tend to be newsworthy. Sex: All societies are interested in sex but it is often difficult to discuss openly so stories that highlight a departure from society’s norms can be newsworthy.
The most important thing to remember when writing a news article is that it must be entertaining and engaging for your readers. This can be done by putting the most important facts at the top of your article above what is called the fold (the crease in a newspaper). You also need to keep your story short so that readers stay engaged and don’t become bored or disinterested.