News is a collection of information, especially about significant current events. It is published in newspapers, magazines and on the Internet. News is written for a wide variety of purposes including entertainment, analysis and commentary. It is also a source of information for people who do not have access to other news sources and for those who want to stay up-to-date on events in their own country and internationally.
It is difficult to define what constitutes a news story. The choice of what is reported and how it is presented is a matter for the editorial judgment of journalists, who will choose to focus on certain stories and exclude others. This process is known as “filtering” and it influences the news agenda. Journalists will often be guided by market research which identifies the kinds of stories their audiences most like to read and hear. However, critics point out that such research is flawed because it does not take into account the way that different social groups prioritize events and the degree to which they are interested in particular aspects of an event.
A typical news article will contain a series of questions which are intended to prompt the reader’s imagination, such as: What, when, who, where and why. A well-written news story will answer these questions in an interesting and readable way, avoiding the use of jargon which could alienate the reader or listener. The format of a news article will vary depending on where it is to be published: in a newspaper, magazine or online.
The news media are a powerful influence on public opinion, and are sometimes accused of spreading fear, prejudice and division. However, they are a necessary part of the fabric of society and have the potential to bring about positive changes in our lives. Increasingly, the need for good quality journalism is recognised as a quasi-public good, and initiatives are being undertaken to promote and protect it, such as citizen journalism and community-based media.
A well-written news article is one which is based on the five criteria of newsworthiness: it is new, unusual, interesting, significant and about people. It will be interesting to note that the same event may meet two or more of these criteria, and it will also be intriguing to see how different combinations of the five news values operate in practice. For example, the assassination of a political leader will be big news in the country where it occurred because it is new and unusual, but will not be newsworthy in another country unless it meets all five criteria, such as when it occurs in the capital city and involves the head of state. This is because it is the first time that the facts about this assassination have been revealed. The same is true of a coup in one country or a war in another country, which may be both new and significant. However, it is not new or unusual for a famous person to die.