News is current information about events that impact the general population. These events may be local, national or international in nature. News articles are often written for a mass audience with the aim to inform, educate and entertain them. Often times these articles contain a mix of hard and soft news stories, with the harder news stories often being accompanied by in-depth interviews.
To be considered newsworthy an event must meet certain criteria such as being recent, unusual, interesting and significant. It also needs to be about people. The classic definition of news is “Dog bites man” but this does not take into account that what is unusual in one society might be normal in another.
When writing a news article it is important to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Typically you will need to write for a particular demographic, which can be easy to determine if you are writing for a newspaper or website in your area. It is also important to consider the tone and style you are aiming for as this will influence your readers.
In terms of a structure, news articles are usually short and to the point. It is important to grab the reader’s attention from the start and to place the most important details at the top of the article. This is known as writing above the fold, a term that derives from newspapers where there was a crease in the paper and therefore it had to be read in order to see the most important information. This principle is equally as important when writing online.
It is important not to inject your own opinion into your news story, and instead use quotes from the source so that the reader can make up their mind about what they think about the event themselves. It is also a good idea to include statistics and figures as these can be quite eye-catching and help the reader understand the importance of the topic.
Aside from the above, it is important to write well. This means that your grammar and spelling should be correct, and you should avoid using too many abbreviations. It is also a good idea to avoid switching between first and second person, which can be off putting to the reader. In addition, if you are using sources it is important to always credit them appropriately.
While news is essential to keep up with what is happening in our world, it can be overwhelming for a lot of people. Striking a balance between keeping up with the latest news and maintaining healthy mental health is crucial. If you are constantly feeling stressed out and in a bad mood due to your news consumption, it might be time to consider reducing your intake. A good way to do this is by limiting how much you watch TV or listen to the radio. It is also important to take regular breaks and to read non-newsworthy things, such as books or do crosswords.