News is information about events and developments that have just occurred or are in progress. It is also a term used for the mass media that carries this information, such as newspapers, radio and television. The internet has expanded the availability of news, providing it with a worldwide audience. Many different kinds of News exist, and the content and style can vary widely depending on the audience and purpose of the News.
People can be highly tuned in to News, following a variety of sources to stay informed. In fact, the average person sees five times more news than they did in 1986. This increase has been made possible by the Internet and 24-hour news stations. This increase in news consumption has also led to the rise of citizen journalists who can share their own perspectives on unfolding events.
To write a good news article you must first have a story worth telling. The story needs to be new and it must have a strong angle. Then you must decide how much detail to include and what to omit. For example, if you are writing a sports article, it is unlikely that you will have space to include every single score and statistic from the game. If you are writing about a political event, it is even more important to stick to the facts.
The next step in writing a good News article is to determine your target audience. News articles for general newspapers or magazines have a wider audience than those for specialized publications or communities. This will influence what kind of information you include and what tone to use.
You must also decide how much background research is required for the News article. For instance, you may need to interview primary sources such as the victim or the police. You will need to know how to ask the right questions to get the most accurate and complete information from your sources. You should also make sure you have a clear understanding of the five Ws: who, what, where, when and why.
Once you have the basics down, it is important to write a snappy headline that will catch readers’ attention and draw them in. You can also use a photo to add an element of intrigue to the article. In addition to the headline and photo, you should begin your story with a brief summary of the main point of the article.
Some of the best online sources for News include the Associated Press, the Christian Science Monitor and The Bureau. The AP is a non-profit organization that has no corporate sponsorship and is not government-funded. Its crowd-sourced bias rating on AllSides is left-leaning, but it has a long history of unbiased reporting. The Christian Science Monitor is similar, with a mission to “hold power to account” and a goal of driving change through journalism. The Bureau is a news website with a smaller editorial staff but an excellent reputation for in-depth, balanced coverage of world events.
