News is the information that explains what happened in the past, present and future. It provides a record of events that affect people and their environment, whether good or bad, but is not necessarily unbiased. However, it is important to distinguish news from propaganda and opinions.
The term “news” is derived from an old Latin word meaning new things or fresh news, and is used to describe events that are new and of interest to readers. It is vital for the functioning of democracies, where citizens need to have accurate information in order to make informed choices about public policy and governance. This information is sourced by journalists who are primarily concerned with keeping their readers informed of what is happening in their communities and the world.
What is newsworthy varies between societies, and even within cultures. For example, an incident involving animals can be of different interest to a farmer in the United States and an abattoir owner in China. This is because different societies place a different value on the lives of cows and pigs. But, in general, the more shocking or unexpected an event is, the more likely it will be to capture reader attention.
Generally, all societies are interested in stories concerning celebrities, entertainment, sex and the natural world. They are also interested in a wide range of social issues such as war, crime and politics.
When deciding what to write about, it is essential to consider the five Ws of journalism: Who, What, Where, Why and How. This will help you identify the most important elements of your story and determine how best to present it to your audience. A snappy headline is essential, but beware of cliches. These are trite phrases that do not evoke a strong emotional response and may exclude those who do not share your viewpoint.
It is also important to be able to attribute your sources. This includes quoting from people involved in the news, as well as citing a source for statistics or other facts. This is vital to maintain journalistic integrity, as it demonstrates that you have checked your information and are not just reporting what someone else has told you.
Lastly, it is important to remember that the most important aspect of any news story is the impact it has on your audience. This can be in terms of proximity (how close to home the story is), conflict, controversy or how much it affects people emotionally. The size of the impact should be reflected in the amount of detail included in the article.
Finally, it is important to include an image with your news. This will help to catch the eye of your reader and increase engagement. Ideally, the image should be relevant to the news and not just an attractive photograph. It should be taken by a professional photographer and should be clearly labelled with the name of the photographer and a credit link. This will help your readers to verify that the image is not part of a fake news story.