News is any current event or information which affects the public, such as a crime, natural disaster or war. It also includes new products or technology, political events or elections, and social issues such as racial discrimination, poverty and AIDS. News is generally reported in newspapers, magazines, radio and television but can also be found on the internet.
There are different definitions of what is newsworthy, but most people agree that it should be significant and relevant. It should also be timely. The main purpose of news is to inform readers, listeners or viewers, not to entertain them. Entertainment comes from other areas of the media – music and drama on radio, cartoons and crosswords in newspapers.
The classic definition of news is: “Dog bites man – not news; Man bites dog – news.” But this definition is not universal and what is considered newsworthy varies from society to society. In some societies, the act of biting is taboo and so it would not be newsworthy. However, in other societies where it is common practice to eat dogs, then it would be newsworthy.
Another criterion for what is newsworthy is whether it is unusual. An event which is both new and unusual will be of interest to most people, but it must also be significant. For example, scientists may report that an insect has been found living on a plant which it did not previously inhabit. This is likely to be of interest to specialists but would not be headline news in a general news broadcast or newspaper.
People want to be informed about what is happening around them, but many people become overwhelmed by the amount of news available to them. This can lead to a sense of disillusionment and cynicism towards the media. In order to avoid this, it is important to seek out a wide range of sources and not simply read or watch only one type of news. It is also important to understand how news stories can be biased and to be aware of your own biases.
When writing an article about News, it is advisable to write in clear, concise sentences and to use the inverted pyramid style of writing (putting the most important facts at the beginning of the story). Also, it is important not to include any opinions in your news articles as this will alienate your audience. Lastly, it is always a good idea to fact check your articles.
If you’re looking for an alternative to the mainstream news outlets, look for sites that offer explanatory journalism. These will provide more context and nuance, and help you to understand the complexities of an issue. A few examples of these include VOX, Refinery29, The Skimm and Flare’s Explainer series. Also, beware of sharing news on social media if you haven’t carefully read and vetted the source. Unverified and misleading information can spread quickly and can influence people’s opinions, known as confirmation bias.