News is information about recent events or happenings, especially as reported by newspapers, radio, television and other media. It can also refer to the latest issue of a magazine or the release of a movie.
A news story has to meet a number of criteria in order to be considered newsworthy. First of all, it needs to be new. It does not do a newspaper any good to report on an event that occurred a week ago. The community has moved on by then, and the article does not have much impact. A second important factor is that the news must be significant. It is not enough to be just new and interesting. The news must also be relevant to people’s lives and needs. For example, a coup in the country next door can have more significance to an audience than one that takes place in their own nation.
The last factor is that the news must be a story. People do not care about a mundane event that they can relate to on a daily basis. A man waking up, eating breakfast and catching the bus to work may be just as new as something that is strange or unusual, but it does not make the grade as news.
When writing a news article, it is important to include all of the major facts about the story in the beginning of the piece. This is known as the inverted pyramid technique, and it helps readers understand what is going on at a glance. Following this, the writer can expand on the main points in more detail. It is also important to include any related background information in the news article. This might include contact information, quotes from interviews and additional facts about the topic or people involved in the event.
The headline of a news story is the first thing that a reader will see, and it is often what determines whether or not they will read the rest of the article. It should be clear and concise and written to capture the attention of the audience. It should be the same size as other headlines in the publication and it should always appear at the top of the page. The headline should always be followed by a byline, which includes the name of the writer.
Before writing a news article it is helpful to ask the five W’s questions. What, where, when, why and how will help you decide on the most important details to include in the article. You can also use these questions to help you find an angle for your article that will make it unique and stand out among other news stories. For example, if your story is about a celebrity who is in the spotlight it might be interesting to focus on what that person has done recently that is particularly odd or unusual. This will draw the attention of your readers.