News is information about events and developments that are significant, important, or unusual. It can include anything from breaking news to weather reports, sports, education, crime, politics, and business.
The word news is used to describe a wide variety of articles and stories in newspapers, magazines and online. The information can be current or historic, and it may be reported from a local, national or international perspective. It is considered to be a public service and one of the most essential functions of the media.
Many different models and theories exist about what makes a story newsworthy, including the mirror model, which states that news should reflect reality, and the organizational and political models, which cite various pressures and interests that influence what is reported. Other models are more concerned with how the public responds to a story and what impact it will have.
People want to be informed about the world around them. Historically, the most common ways that new information has been spread have been through oral traditions and later written communication such as books, magazines and newspapers. The development of modern technologies such as radio, television and the internet have allowed news to be disseminated more quickly and widely.
Throughout history, there has been considerable debate over what makes something newsworthy. Some of the most common topics that are covered by the press include war, government, education, health, the environment, business, entertainment and fashion. Government proclamations and official announcements are also frequently deemed newsworthy, as are political scandals or controversies, and royal ceremonies. Other notable events in history that have been labelled as newsworthy include the death of a prominent figure and natural disasters.
A major aspect of writing a news article is to avoid injecting personal opinion into the story. This is particularly important in journalistic journalism where it is considered inappropriate to have any bias. Instead, it is often best to let the subjects of the story do the talking and provide quotes that can be included in the article. This is especially effective if the subject of the story is someone who would likely not object to being quoted in this way, such as a politician or religious leader.
Once the author has compiled their research, they should prepare an outline for the piece. This should follow the inverted pyramid format and include a brief introduction and an overview of the main points of the story, followed by the details and a conclusion. Once the article is complete, it should be laid out on dummy pages and reviewed by the chief editor before being sent for publication.
The first step in preparing a news article is to find sources. Sources can include experts in the field who can provide technical commentary, as well as people who are close to or affected by the topic being discussed. It is vital to cite all sources of information in a news article, using the appropriate style guide for your particular outlet.