News is information about current events that affect a community, a region or a country. It may include political, economic, social or cultural issues. People read news to stay up-to-date on what is going on in the world around them. News is delivered in a variety of ways, including radio, television and print. In addition, the Internet has become a popular way to share and receive news.

News stories are a form of public service. They provide readers with a wide range of facts and opinions on important matters. They are often written by professional journalists, but they can also be written by anyone with a good knowledge of the subject matter. The most effective news articles are well researched, accurate and concise.

A news story must be interesting to the reader to make it worth printing or broadcasting. It must be new, unusual, interesting and significant. Generally, a story will be more likely to meet these criteria if it is about something that has not happened before or if it involves some aspect of public interest. A coup in the neighbouring country, for example, is likely to be of more interest than a local council meeting.

People are interested in the lives of famous people and so news items about them can be of interest to a broad audience. This is especially the case when a person in the public eye loses or gains power or is involved in a scandal. Stories about food and drink are also of interest to many, as are those on health. People want to be healthy and so stories about diet, exercise, medicine and hospitals are of relevance. People are also interested in the natural environment and so stories about nature may be of interest, as are those about climate change.

While it is important to inform readers, it is equally important to entertain them. This can be done by using a sense of humour or by writing the news in an entertaining way. Music and drama programs on the radio and TV are examples of entertainment news, as are crosswords and cartoons in newspapers.

Providing sources with quotes can add an extra dimension to the news article. Whether the quotes are from experts, politicians or ordinary citizens, they can help to bring the story to life and make it more personal for readers. Depending on the tone of the piece, and the readership and publication, the writer may decide to use only neutral quotations or to allow opinion to shine through.

It is important for writers of news to think about the implications of their work. Clearly stating the purpose of the news article, and its intended audience is crucial to the effectiveness of the piece. Journalists are often expected to be objective, and a number of governments have laws against bias in news reporting. However, balancing objectivity with a desire to attract the attention of the audience is a challenging task.