News is any information that affects a large section of the population and which is likely to interest them. It is about people and the things they do, but also about the natural world, weather and other events that have occurred. It can be about a disaster, an accident, a murder or just a new piece of information that has been discovered. News is usually a mixture of fact and opinion, although it is important to keep in mind that it is not the role of the writer of the news to express an opinion, but simply to report what has happened.

The first thing that is needed for a news article is the headline. This should be catchy and evoke emotion or curiosity. It is important that it is accurate, as a misleading headline can put the reader off reading the story completely. The main body of the news article, sometimes known as a “nut graph” should follow the headline. This is where the most important facts are given. It should answer the questions who, what, when, where and why. The more important details are placed at the top of the nut graph, with less important information following as you go down. This is to ensure that even if readers only read the headline, they will still get all the key information.

Once the nut graph has been established, the journalist should try to interview people who can give more detail about what has happened. The interviews should be done in such a way as to be interesting to the reader, and should include the opinions of people who are closely affected by the event. It is important not to put too much of the writer’s opinion into the news article, as this can make it seem biased and untrustworthy. It can be helpful to watch news broadcasts and see how the journalists wrap up their stories, so that you can emulate this in your own writing.

When deciding what to write about, it is often best to focus on local news. This can be a good way to build relationships with the community and it will help you to gain readers. If you are a student, it is worth trying to write articles for the school newspaper about something that has happened locally. This will be more interesting for the students and it will be a good opportunity to develop your journalism skills.