News is a written report of current events. It can be found in many formats – newspapers, magazines, radio and television. The purpose of news is to inform, educate and entertain. It should be factual and free of bias. Often the source of news is a government, although it may also be private citizens. News can cover any subject of interest to the public including war, politics, business, education, sports or the environment.
When writing a news article it is important to remember that the reader wants to get the facts in the easiest and most concise way possible. A good rule to follow is to include the answers to the basic questions: What, When, Who, Where and Why.
Using the information gathered, a journalist can start to build up a story. The best method for doing this is to use the inverted pyramid structure. This means that the most important information is placed at the top of the piece. This enables the reader to quickly grasp the key points of the story without having to read the whole piece.
This is especially important if the newspaper or magazine is printed on a small page, as it helps to keep the story above the fold, meaning that more readers can see the key point of the news story. It is also important to focus on recent events. It won’t do a paper much good to write about something that happened a week ago – the community has moved on and is talking about something else.
It is also essential to note that the job of news is not to amuse or delight the reader, listener or viewer. Entertainment comes from other areas – music and drama on the radio, crosswords and cartoons in newspapers.
In the past, news was usually delivered by a person delivering it verbally or on the radio. Now, however, technology has changed the way people consume news and how they want it. Research has shown that audiences are seeking out live news for immediate gratification and are demanding more control over their own news consumption.
Another element that contributes to the changing nature of news is that younger generations are using more personalised news sources. This can affect how the news is perceived and what values it carries with it.
It is clear that the role of news will continue to be an important part of our society. In order for it to maintain its status, the industry must ensure that it demonstrates the credibility of the information it delivers and that it meets audiences’ needs and expectations. With so much information at our fingertips, it is up to the journalists of today and tomorrow to make sure that the news they are delivering is credible, relevant and informative. This will help to create a new generation of news consumers who are knowledgeable, well-informed and discerning about the content they are reading and viewing.