News is what you read in your newspaper, hear on the radio or see on your social media feed. It can include a wide range of topics, from global events to local community affairs, and it is important for people to keep up with the latest news stories in order to make informed decisions about their lives. However, as the volume of breaking news grows and countless legitimate and dubious sources become more abundant, people may find it challenging to figure out how best to stay informed.
In general, a news story is based on information provided by witnesses or experts. It should be written in a formal tone, with no personal bias or opinion expressed. The news article should also be concise and easy to read, especially online when readers often have a limited amount of time to complete an article before moving on. In some cases, the writer will interview a source for quotes, but in others, they will cite a public statement or other published information. If the author uses their own words in a news article, they should use quotation marks around those words and clearly cite their source with their full name and title.
The classic definition of a news story is “dog bites man.” This is a very broad definition, though, and the types of news stories that are reported will vary from one society to another. For example, a cow or pig being killed by an insect may not be considered newsworthy in some societies, but in others, this is very significant news.
As a rule, the news is all about what is new and unusual, interesting or significant. The more of these criteria a story meets, the more likely it is to be newsworthy. A story that is about a bug killing crops may not be very interesting or significant, but if that bug is found in a country where many people have been dying from starvation, it could be major news.
When writing a news article, it is important to place the most important information at the top of the article. This will help ensure that the article is read before it is cut off by the fold in a print newspaper or scrolled past on a website. It is also important to write a compelling headline that will pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to keep reading.
Once the story is written, it should be proofread to ensure that there are no errors. In addition, it is important to run the story by an editor before submitting it for publication. This will provide an extra set of eyes on the content to ensure that it is accurate and reflects the views and opinions of a variety of people. This process is known as fact checking. It is also recommended to watch the news to get ideas about how to format and write a good news article.