News is information about a recent event or a change that has occurred. It is usually conveyed through newspapers, magazines, radio and television. It is an important medium for spreading information, and people need to be informed in order to make decisions about their lives. News is often political, social or cultural in nature and influences public opinion. In democracies, a free press is essential for maintaining a healthy democracy.
People are interested in what other people do, how they look and what they say. This is why many news stories are about celebrities, politicians and businessmen. It is also why many news stories involve crime, war or disasters. These events are important to society and the human interest factor makes them a major focus of news coverage.
Almost every human activity can be newsworthy. For example, the weather, crop diseases and food shortages all affect people’s daily lives. People are also interested in their environment, so stories about environmental problems, endangered animals or new developments in science and technology are often in the news.
Other events which make the news include riots, strikes and accidents. In some societies, it is common for the death of a prominent person to be newsworthy. This is because the person’s life and work have a high social value and the loss of their lives or abilities is seen as a serious blow to the community.
A famous saying states that “dogs bite dogs, but men bite humans.” In most societies, this is true. But, what is considered to be a dog bite or a man bite will vary from society to society. Generally speaking, however, things that are unusual or out of the ordinary are likely to be newsworthy.
The classic definition of news is that it is something which is not normally talked about, but is now being reported for the first time. This is sometimes referred to as hard news, and it appears on the front page of a newspaper or at the start of a broadcast.
A slew of factors are considered when choosing which stories to report. Some of these factors include:
Proximity: Does the story happen close to home?
Impact: Does the story affect a large number of people or is it controversial?
A good title is important to a news story. It should be catchy and give the reader a preview of what the article is about. Usually other members of the publication staff write the headlines, but writing one yourself can help you focus your ideas. It is usually followed by the byline, which is the name of the writer of the article. It is not always necessary to use full names unless the publication specifically asks for this. A good headline will get more attention than a dull, wordy one. It should be written in Associated Press style if you are using that format. Then there should be a brief summary of the main points in the body of the story.