News is information about current events that is provided by a variety of media such as newspapers, radio and television. It may also be gathered through observation or witness testimony.
The definition of what is news can vary depending on the audience, but generally includes information about wars, politics, religion, education, health, the environment and crime. It also covers social movements, and unusual or quirky events that are interesting to the public.
It can be difficult to tell if an event is news, because it is all too easy to miss something that is new and unexpected. For example, if a man wakes up and catches a bus to work every day, that is not news. However, if that same man takes two baby tigers out of a box on his way to school and saves them for an animal rescue charity, that would be news.
There are many ways to decide whether or not an event is news, but the main ones are timeliness, drama, consequence and proximity. Timeliness means that an event is recent and can affect people immediately; drama is when something happens that causes people to feel emotions, such as anger or excitement; consequence refers to the importance of the event; and proximity describes how close it is to the people who are affected by the news.
Some of these characteristics are common across all kinds of media, while others depend on the audience and the specific gatekeepers. For instance, TV and radio broadcasters are judged to be more drama-oriented than newspapers, although all kinds of news organizations are governed by a common set of judgment guidelines about what is news.
How to write a news story
One of the most important things to remember when writing a news story is that it should be well-crafted and easy to read. This requires a strong lead, a good introduction and a well-written conclusion that answers any questions the reader might have about the topic at hand.
The lead should contain 25 compelling words that draw the reader in and make them want to learn more about the subject at hand. It should also contain the most interesting and relevant details first. Then, it should expand upon those key points in chronological order.
A news story is a great way to convey a lot of information in a short amount of time. It can help to explain what is going on in a complex situation, or to introduce the reader to a subject they are not very familiar with.
When writing a news story, it is best to follow a sequence of steps and a chronological order. This will ensure that the reader has a clear picture of what happened and can then skim through the rest of the article quickly.
It is also useful to know your audience before you start writing, as this will help you to decide what to include in your article. It can also help you to shape your voice and tone accordingly.