News is information about current events, and is usually published in a newspaper or online. News articles aim to inform readers about the world around them and can take the form of factual reporting, or opinion pieces with a political agenda.
When writing a news article, it is important to have a clear idea of your audience. Generally, newspapers target a specific demographic based on location. When creating a news article it is also important to have all the necessary facts about the topic or event. This includes the background information, what has happened, when and where it happened, who was involved and why it is important.
A news story should always include a clear headline that captures the attention of your reader. It should then introduce the topic of the article with a short summary. Finally, it should provide details about the event and how it relates to the wider world. The headline and summary should be in a format that is easy to read, and the key information should be clearly highlighted.
Most news stories are about people, as human interest is what drives most media organisations. However, non-human events can make the news too. These can be natural disasters, such as cyclones, earthquakes, bush fires or volcanic eruptions. Alternatively, they can be man-made, such as terrorist attacks or wars.
All societies are interested in famous people, who they are, how they live and what they do. It is especially interesting when they are involved in controversy or scandal. Health is another issue of great interest to most people. Stories about traditional remedies, medical research, diseases and hospitals are often newsworthy. Sex is also of interest, although it is not normally discussed openly in most societies.
Many people use social media to share news stories they have read or heard. This has made it harder for governments to control the dissemination of news, as it can spread rapidly across the Internet and beyond. However, it has also made it easier for individuals to post fabricated or biased information.
Despite these challenges, future research could usefully explore how the principles identified by Galtung and Ruge operate in today’s media. It should also explore whether the desire of news organisations to have their work widely shared on social media affects how they select and present news stories. It is possible that this desire will in turn influence the content of news, and the effect it has on society. The results of such studies may help to inform policy-making in the future.