News is current information about events that affect the public. It can be about politics, crime, sport or weather. It can also be about an organisation’s products, services or people. News can be communicated through newspapers, radio, television or the Internet. It is often reported that the news media are biased, but they try to present facts and impartially as possible.
News has a wide audience and can be a useful tool for businesses. For example, a company’s announcement of new products can be made newsworthy by framing it as a story rather than as an advert. This can help the announcement stand out from the competition and make it more likely to be read, understood and remembered by the public.
It is the job of news media – newspapers, radio and television – to inform and educate their readers, listeners or viewers. Entertainment can come from other sources – music and drama on the radio, for example, or cartoons and crosswords in newspapers.
The news that is considered to be most important is given prominence in the media. This might mean that a big story is the lead item in a radio bulletin or is on Page One of a newspaper, while less significant stories appear elsewhere in the paper or are put online later. This is called the Inverted Pyramid Model.
A good news article is well written, with a snappy headline that explains the main point of the story. The story then proceeds to tell the story in a way that is interesting and draws the reader into the topic. It should include the answers to the questions who, what, when, where and why. It should avoid jarring the reader by switching from first person to third person and back again, unless there is compelling reason to do so.
People are interested in celebrities – both famous men and women – and what they do, what they wear and where they go. It can be even more interesting when they do something scandalous or if their behaviour goes against society’s generally accepted norms. People are also concerned about their health and so are interested in stories about traditional medicines, hospitals and clinics, medical research, diseases and food. There are also stories about sex, which in many societies is still a taboo subject, but which can become newsworthy when it involves violence or goes against conventional morality.
Money is another important factor in what is considered newsworthy. A story about a fortune being made or lost, or about business success or failure, is of interest. So are stories about government budgets, taxation changes, unemployment figures and compensation claims. Stories about food prices, crop failures and environmental damage are also of interest to many people. Some of these stories might even influence their buying habits.