News is an event or piece of information that is new and relevant. It can relate to current affairs or events or even to human interest stories. News is important to the public as it informs them about what is going on around them. It also plays a critical role in democracy. Democracies cannot function without a free press which is vital for ensuring that the people are informed. This means that the press must be impartial and independent of any influence from outside. This is why it is often referred to as the “oxygen of democracy”.
What makes something newsworthy can vary widely from one culture to the next, so there is no definitive answer to this question. However, it has been suggested that a news story should be new, unusual, interesting and significant and that it should involve people. The classic example is that of “dog bites man” versus “man bites dog”.
The timing of the news is important as it will have more impact if it is recent. People will not be interested in reading about what happened a week ago, but they will be intrigued by what is happening now and what might happen tomorrow.
Another factor that can determine whether something will be considered newsworthy is how close it is to home. People are more likely to be interested in stories that affect them and their family, so it is good to keep this in mind when selecting a topic for an article.
Other factors that can make a story interesting include controversy, currency, prominence and the element of surprise. Controversy is particularly popular as people are fascinated by arguments, charges and counter-charges, fights and insurrections. Prominence is an attractive element for news as it is exciting to see what famous people are up to. Currency is a great way to generate interest in a news item as it will have more impact when the news is about things that are currently happening. The element of surprise is also a great way to generate interest as it is always exciting to find out about unexpected events that have taken place.
A well-written news article will be brief so that people will read it, clear so that they will understand it and picturesque so that they will appreciate it. In addition, it will be accurate and unbiased. It is also important to avoid jargon, as it will be difficult for readers to understand and will detract from the quality of the article. If it is necessary to use jargon, it should be explained in full the first time it is used so that the reader does not become confused. A final point is that news articles should be written in an engaging manner so that the reader will want to share the article with their friends and colleagues. This will help to build the brand of the newspaper and increase its popularity. If an article is boring or inaccurate, it will not be read and will not have the same impact as a more interesting and informative piece.