News is information about current and interesting events, obtained from everywhere at every moment, and presented to the public. This is done through the media – newspapers, radio and television.
The main purpose of the news is to inform and educate its audience, although it may also entertain them. Entertainment comes from other areas – music and drama on radio, cartoons in newspapers, crosswords in magazines. The job of the news is to keep people informed about what is happening in their community, their country and the world.
It is important to remember that the information provided in news articles is not always accurate. Many times stories are sensationalized and twisted to appeal to the audience. For this reason it is often best to take time and research the information before publishing a story.
A good way to test if something is newsworthy is to ask yourself the five W’s – Who, What, Where, When and Why. This will help you to focus on the facts of the story and eliminate unnecessary details that could distract readers.
Whether it is a school event, a weather report or a political scandal, a successful piece of news writing requires that you be factual and concise. The average person is now exposed to five times as much news as they were in 1986 thanks to the internet and 24-hour news stations. If your story is too long or has a lot of filler, readers will quickly lose interest. Stick to the facts and avoid using superlatives like brilliant, excellent and fantastic – this will make the article sound overblown.
One of the most important aspects of writing a news article is knowing your audience. This will influence the tone and style of your article, as well as what you choose to include or exclude. The more you know about your audience, the easier it will be to write a piece of news that will engage them.
In the past, it was common for students to get their news from their parents and other family members. Today, however, most students get their news from social media and other non-traditional sources such as video blogs and podcasts. When questioned, most students reported that they liked these new avenues of news because they offered more variety and matched their personal interests better than traditional news sources.
Once you’ve learned how to read and identify news, it’s time to start thinking about how you can craft your own. But before you can write an effective news article, it is important to understand the different types of newspaper articles. In this section we will cover the basic structure and style of a newspaper article as well as three essential sub-sections of preparing to write: researching the topic, identifying your audience and outlining your article. By following these simple guidelines, you will be on your way to becoming a master of the art of news writing.