News is information about events that affect people or things. It includes facts, opinions and analysis of current issues. It can also include future trends and developments.
News articles should be written objectively – without bias or prejudice. They should be factual and include quotes from sources with knowledge of the topic. This will allow readers to make up their own mind about the news.
A good news article should be brief so that the reader will read it, clear so that they understand it, picturesque so that they remember it, and above all accurate so that they will be guided by it. This is not an easy task, especially in this age of 24-hour television news programs and the Internet.
People are interested in a variety of topics. These can include celebrity news, politics, wars and terrorism. They can also be concerned about food, health and the environment. Other popular subjects for news stories are business and sports. Controversy: People like controversy, and anything that leads to arguments or tension becomes newsworthy. Prominence: Famous people are of interest, as are their activities, and the way they live. Currency: The story is newsworthy if it is about something that happened recently.
Often the first thing that draws attention to a piece of news is its headline. This must be catchy, emotion evoking, or curious. It may also be helpful to draft a lead paragraph, which provides a preview of the article. This should provide many of the important facts and is usually placed in the lead position, with subsequent paragraphs providing less information.