News is an important part of our lives. We get it in the form of television, radio, newspapers and news magazines, and on the Internet. In some cases, we also receive it through our phone. We might also get it from friends or family.
The information that appears in a newspaper, on the news line-up, or on a news website is made up of stories which meet certain criteria. Those criteria are timeliness, drama, consequence, proximity, and narrative. These characteristics of news are understood by everyone, whether they work in the news business or regularly read, watch, or listen to news.
Timeliness: Any event that happens quickly and which affects people’s lives is likely to be considered news. A person missing a bus isn’t going to make it onto a television news program, but if that same person pulls a litter of abandoned baby tigers out of a cardboard box and takes them to an animal rescue shelter it’s likely to be a big story.
Drama: Any event which carries a potential for great emotional impact on people’s lives is more likely to be considered news than a simple case of people having to go to the doctor. This might include a child who is suffering from a serious illness or a young girl who has just given birth to her first baby.
Consequence: Any event that results in people’s loss of life, property, or financial wealth is also likely to be considered news. This might include a major fire or a murder.
Proximity: Any event which occurs within a few miles of people’s homes is also likely to be considered news. This is because people are more likely to have contact with the news media, and to be interested in it, when they are close to a location where news is being reported.
Narrative: Any event that reveals a significant change in the way people think is likely to be considered news. This could be an important election result, a controversial political issue, or the death of an influential person.
Objectivity: Any news that is published must be true to the core of the matter and not influenced by personal or political bias. This is to ensure that the media provides readers with unbiased and balanced coverage.
When writing a news article, it’s important to remember that there’s a lot of competition for readership. In order to be successful, you need to find an interesting topic and be able to write in a style that will keep your readers engaged. This will be particularly important if you’re writing a general-interest article instead of a specialized one.