News is the gathered and reported information about events that occur in local, national and international communities. It can also be the reports about social, cultural and economic issues as well as politics, sports or entertainment. The main purpose of News is to keep people informed about the things that happen around them and to serve as a medium for discussion and debate on important and controversial topics.
The news that makes it into a newspaper, into the television news line-up or onto the Internet is the result of decisions made by a group of people who work for a particular news organization. Depending on the medium, they are called editors, news directors or even news managers. They are tasked with sifting through recommendations from reporters and assistant editors to determine what is newsworthy. These people are known as gatekeepers because they decide what will make it into the news.
What makes something newsworthy can vary considerably from one society to another. For example, if a bug is killing crops, it will be of more interest to most people than the fact that a man has married a woman or a car has killed a chicken. Nevertheless, most societies have certain criteria that they use to judge what is newsworthy and what is not. These criteria are called the inverted pyramid model.
A well-written news article follows a clear and concise structure. It begins with a snappy headline that informs readers of the news topic while capturing their attention. It then presents the most important facts in a logical order, placing them at the top of the inverted pyramid. Next it provides supplementary or background information to help readers understand the news event, including quotes from experts or those directly involved. Finally, it outlines any potential consequences or implications of the news item.
In addition to these structural elements, news writers should always be aware of the audience that they are writing for. The tone of the article should reflect its intended readership and any opinion should be attributed to a source that can be vetted as credible. Lastly, the writer should be careful not to overstate any facts as this can lead to misinformation.
News is often a matter of personal interest, such as the fact that a relative is in a hospital or that a friend has just been promoted at work. However, it can also be a matter of public concern, such as when an insect is destroying the crops that people depend on for survival or when a government leader announces a military offensive against a foreign country.
It is a good idea to get your news from a variety of sources. This will ensure that you are getting a more balanced perspective on the world. It will also help you to open your eyes to the ways that different people tell stories about the same events. This can be a useful exercise to undertake when analyzing how a specific news story is portrayed by the media in general or by a certain publication in particular.
