News is information about current events. It may be delivered verbally, in writing or through the media (such as newspapers, magazines and radio). News provides information that affects people’s lives – for example weather, disasters, food shortages, war, crop diseases, economic problems, health warnings and new technology. It also informs us about celebrities, sports, music and other entertainment.
The decision about what is newsworthy varies between societies. For example, a news story about the death of an animal can be of little interest to a reader in a country that does not have many animals. However, it can be of great interest in a society where there are many livestock.
When it comes to writing news articles, it is important to keep the facts as accurate as possible. It is also important to write the story in a way that is interesting for the readers. Using a snappy headline and putting the most important facts in the first paragraph of your article is also essential. Often journalists will use the inverted pyramid style to make sure that the most important information is seen first by the readers.
Most people agree that the job of the news media is to inform and educate its readers, listeners and viewers. It is not, as some have claimed, to entertain them. Entertainment can come from other sources – music and drama on radio; cartoons and crosswords in newspapers. A well-written news article should be factual, but not dull.