News is information about current events, delivered in a variety of media – including newspapers, magazines and radio. It is also available online and on television.
What makes a story newsworthy will vary from society to society, but a good rule of thumb is that it should be new, unusual, interesting and significant. It is also helpful if it involves people. So a person who falls from grace, for example by losing their fortune or their status in the church, is often newsworthy.
The most important information should go in the first paragraph of the article, followed by a summary of the rest of the story. This way, readers who don’t have much time can get the main points of a story. For long articles, it is also a good idea to have a “bottom line” summarizing the key points of a story so that people who don’t read the whole article at least get an overview of what happened.
The aim of the news media is to inform and educate – not entertain – its readers, listeners or viewers. The entertainment is usually supplied by other sections of the media – music and drama on radio, for example, or cartoons and crosswords in newspapers. However, if a piece of news does have an element of amusement, this should be clearly identified. It is generally accepted that the writer of a news article should not give their own opinions on the subject they are reporting, but rather present the facts as they are known.