News is an event, report or piece of information that relates to the world around us. It may be current, recent or historical. It can be positive or negative. It can have a direct impact on our lives, society or culture. The quality of the news we receive is very important and largely determines our view of the world. News is often reported in the media by journalists who work for newspapers, magazines and radio stations. The information they present is called journalism and aims to be objective and accurate.
To be considered newsworthy a story must be new, interesting, significant and about people. It should also contain a certain amount of conflict, tension or controversy. In addition, it should be close to home (geographically or emotionally) or involve well known people or organizations.
In general, a news article should cover a topic that is of interest to most readers. It should have a catchy headline that grabs attention and clearly informs the reader of the news topic. It should be written in the third person unless there is a compelling reason to use first or second person. The byline should be the name of the writer.
The lead paragraph of a news article should summarize the dominant point of the entire piece and include many of the basic facts of the story. It should also place the news in a larger context and provide background information.
Throughout the body of a news article, each paragraph should relate back to the dominant point and further explain or establish that point. It should not be used to present unrelated or irrelevant information. In most cases the body of a news article should be no more than five paragraphs in length.
The last paragraph of a news article should restate the dominant point and offer a possible future development relating to that point. It should be clear, concise and in the third person. The name of the person should be spelled out in full, with both first and middle initials if necessary, in order to avoid confusion. If a person is not well known, his or her surname should be included for clarity. Similarly, when referring to someone’s occupation, the full job title should be included rather than simply “employed.” The smallest details can make or break an article. Veteran reporters look for telling snippets of conversation, visual cues, actions and other details that breathe life into the story. Description for its own sake, however, merely confuses and obscures the news.