News is information about events which are important, interesting or significant. It can be about people, places or things. It is the kind of thing which people read in newspapers, watch on television or listen to on radio. People may also hear about it from friends or family. There are different types of news, including hard news, which is straight reporting, and soft news, which is more of a story with some background information and investigation. There are also other kinds of news, such as entertainment news, which is about celebrity stories and gossip, and sports news, which is about sport events.
What makes news can vary from society to society, but there are certain things which are always of interest. For example, all societies are interested in famous people and the lives they lead. This is especially true if they become involved in scandals or when they die. People are also interested in the world around them, so they will be interested in things such as weather and climate, earthquakes, wars and political crises.
The content of news is chosen to influence the opinions of readers, listeners or viewers. News stories are often selected based on their impact, their ability to include violence and scandal, and whether they are local or familiar. They are also chosen if they are new or unusual.
There are many different ways to write a news article, but the main requirements are that it should be accurate and interesting. The facts should be clearly presented, but it is also important that the writer does not introduce their own opinion into the story. Instead, they should try to let the subject of the news do the talking, for example by interviewing them and asking for a quote.
It is also important to remember that news is about current events. It does not make sense to report on something which happened weeks ago. If a famous person has died, for instance, it is no longer news. The most important aspect of a good news article is the lead, which is the first paragraph of the story and provides a preview of what the article is about. It should be written in clear and concise language, using Associated Press style guidelines unless the publication specifies otherwise. It should also be signed with the name of the author, or byline.
A good news article will have a strong beginning, middle and end. It will start with a strong headline, which should be catchy and to the point. The lead will then provide the basic facts of the story, and should be clearly written, avoiding clichéd phrases such as “breaking news”. The body of the news article should then contain the main details about the event, with more background information provided in the sub-headings. Finally, the article should conclude with a good closing sentence, which may be a restatement of the leading statement or a prediction about future developments in relation to the topic of the news item.