News is a story about something recent, interesting and important that has happened or will happen. It can be about people, places or things and is often a mixture of facts and opinions.
A good news article will be accurate and informative but should also grab and hold the reader’s attention. There is a lot of competition out there for news stories and if yours doesn’t stand out as interesting or exciting then you might lose readers to other sources of information.
In order to make a news story compelling it should be written in the third person using words like ‘he’,’she’, ‘it’ or ‘they’ rather than first-person pronouns like ‘I’. If possible, use quotes from relevant people to add interest and authenticity to the article. These can be expert voices offering technical commentary or anecdotes from people who have been directly involved. In some instances, it might be appropriate for the author to add their own opinion to a news story but if this is the case it should be clearly marked as such.
It is often a challenge to decide what counts as newsworthy and it can be difficult for journalists to remain impartial when covering a particular event. The most controversial events will be covered in detail on the front page of a newspaper while other stories may only get a brief mention in a bulletin or on an inside page. It is important to remember that it’s not just the media that judges what is newsworthy – everyone makes those judgements every time they read a news report or listen to the radio or watch television.
The most common topics of news are war, politics, government, education, health, business, the environment, fashion and entertainment. News about natural disasters such as cyclones, bush fires and earthquakes also grab people’s attention. The smallest and most local events can be newsworthy too, for example the opening of a new shop or the retirement of a local councillor.
When it comes to choosing a topic for a news story it’s important to keep the inverted pyramid structure in mind. This involves ensuring that the most important information is presented at the start of the article. This will catch the reader’s attention and ensure that they stick around to read the whole piece.
Regardless of the medium, whether it’s print or online, it is best to keep your news articles short and concise. The internet can be a wonderful resource for finding a wide range of news from different sources around the world. With a bit of research you can find unbiased news reports that will help to inform and educate.