A news story is a report of current events. These can be local, national or international. News stories can cover a wide variety of topics, including sports, politics, crime, weather and business. They often include quotes from experts and eyewitnesses. The goal of a news article is to inform readers about important issues in a quick and concise manner. News articles should be easy to read and understand, with no jargon or technical terms.
The strength of a news story is determined by how many of the following five elements it meets: it is new, unusual, interesting, significant and about people. The stronger these elements are, the more likely a story is to be of interest to readers. It is worth remembering that different societies have differing priorities – what might be a major event in one country might not be so in another. For example, if a farm wall collapses killing a cow and a pig, this will have a much higher news value in one society than in another where cows are not so highly regarded.
News stories are usually written about things that have recently happened or will happen soon. Consequently, they must be interesting and significant enough to be worthy of reporting. This explains why a man waking up, having breakfast and going to work on the bus does not make news. However, if the bus goes into a tunnel or is hijacked by a terrorist group, this would be newsworthy.
Similarly, it is not possible to find completely unbiased news, because each news outlet has its own biases. Nevertheless, there are many sites which offer information on news sources’ biases and suggest ways to obtain news outside your usual sources.
If a company has something good to say about itself, it can also become newsworthy. For example, if it has won an award or has a new product line that is popular with customers, it can be reported in the media. This can help the company gain a positive reputation and increase sales.
It is important to stay aware of current affairs, because they shape our world and our lives. For example, changes in government policies can affect us in a variety of ways. In addition, our daily routines are influenced by the weather, food and drink shortages or surpluses, and the price of goods in the market. It is also useful to stay informed of the choices made by our elected officials, as this affects how we are governed.