News is information about current events. It can be communicated by word of mouth, through printed material such as newspapers and magazines, or by radio and television. It is also often transmitted electronically, such as via the internet. News can be both factual and subjective, but it must always be accurate. People are interested in news because it affects their lives and the lives of those around them. News may be about war, political unrest, crime, natural disasters, or weather. It may also be about sports, celebrities, fashion, or the economy.
What makes a story newsworthy varies from one society to the next. A classic example is the old saying “dog bites man; man bites dog.” In most societies, this event would be newsworthy, but in some, it might not. Newsworthiness depends on how unusual the event is, how important it is to the people involved and the impact it has on their day-to-day lives. It is also important that the event is local to the newsworthy community, because it is more relevant to their daily concerns.
It is also important that the newsworthy event be interesting. Generally, anything that is new, unusual, interesting or significant will be newsworthy. Some things that are considered interesting, but not necessarily newsworthy, include a celebrity scandal or a natural disaster. However, the most interesting events are those that are both unusual and important to the audience of the newsworthy media source. For example, a coup in a foreign country will be much more important to the readers of a newspaper in that country than a coup in a nearby city that has little effect on their daily lives.
Once the important elements of a story have been determined, it is then necessary to decide how it will be presented. A good approach is to start the story with a strong lead or hook, which will catch readers’ attention. This can be done using a dramatic anecdote or a surprising statistic. Once the reader is hooked, it is then necessary to provide them with background information to help them understand the significance of the event. This is referred to as the nut graph and it should explain why the event is newsworthy.
After providing some background information, it is then a good idea to entertain the reader with additional facts or opinions. This can be done through interviews with people who are close to the topic and who can offer insight or commentary. This can also be done through the use of a humorous anecdote or by presenting a poll result. The entertainment aspect is important because it helps to balance the sometimes serious nature of the news and can also serve as a spoonful of sugar to help the reader digest the occasionally bitter pill that is the news.
It is important to remember that although the news is a valuable source of information, it can also be a source of stress and anxiety. Over-exposure to the news can cause burn out, fatigue and depression. It is therefore vital to find a balance between being well informed and over-exposure of the news.
