News are events that occur in the real world or about the human race and which are of interest to a large number of people. They are usually reported in a newspaper, on television or radio. Often, they are accompanied by images and/or video footage. They may also be accompanied by opinions from various sources – but the main purpose of news is to inform, not entertain. Entertainment is provided in other areas – music, drama and cartoons on the radio or TV, for example, or through comics, puzzles or crosswords in newspapers and magazines.
The first step in writing a news article is to find an event or piece of information that has not been reported before. This can be anything from a natural disaster to a political uprising. The article should then be fact checked and sourced from credible sources. It should then be written, starting with the most important information and then putting this into pyramid “buckets.” The paragraphs should contain less and less detail as the news story progresses. Finally, the news article should end with a strong, concise conclusion.
Generally speaking, a good news story will contain the following elements:
Crime: any type of crime can be newsworthy, from petty theft to murder, but the more unusual crimes tend to make bigger headlines. Money: stories about fortunes made and lost, budgets, school fees, taxes, food prices, wage rises or compensation claims all make interesting reading.
Sports: the results of sporting events – whether victories or defeats – are usually newsworthy. This can be especially true if the event takes place in a major city or has a significant impact on the world.
National and International news: these stories tend to focus on issues that affect the majority of the population, such as crises and wars. However, they can also cover more specific issues such as the economic impact of a particular policy on businesses or the impact of climate change on agriculture or tourism in a region.
Be aware of the effect that reading or watching news can have on you and your mental health. Too much news consumption can lead to stress, anxiety, fatigue and even burnout. Striking a balance between your news consumption and the rest of your life is essential.
In this day and age, the way we consume news has changed dramatically. We now get our information from a wide variety of sources – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and countless online publications. As such, we need to be more selective about which news articles we consume and share. It is important to only share news articles you have thoroughly read and vetted for accuracy. Also, consider your motivations for sharing the news article – is it to grab attention, generate discussion or persuade people? If so, be careful not to clog your friends and followers’ feeds with stories they don’t want or need. Instead, sign up for enewsletters like The Skimm or Flare’s Explainer series to get your daily dose of news in a way that works with your lifestyle.