News is a report about current events, such as wars, natural disasters, crime or politics. It is the main topic in newspapers, on television and radio and is often presented by journalists with a professional attitude. It is sometimes controversial or arouses an emotional response in readers.
News must be accurate and unbiased. It is considered the oxygen of democracy, as it is vital for citizens to have a full understanding of their government and the world around them. Whether it is local, national or international, the media must present facts and information in an impartial way.
When writing a news article, it is important to research the topic extensively. It is also helpful to interview people who have unique insights into the news story. This could be an expert who can provide technical commentary, or it could be a regular person who has experienced the event first hand and can share an anecdote or personal experience about it. It is a good idea to write an outline of the news story, using an inverted pyramid structure, so that you can be sure to include all the major points and avoid omitting any important details.
Once the article has been written, it is important to proofread for accuracy and consistency in style and tone. It is also a good idea to let someone else read the piece, as they can double check the facts and provide an extra pair of eyes on the article. Finally, it is important to consider the intended audience of the news article and how complex or simple they would find the article to be.
Some events are newsworthy because they affect a large number of people or a particular community. Other events are newsworthy because they cause a particular level of emotion, such as sadness, anger or frustration. Finally, some events are simply newsworthy because they happen to be unusual or surprising.
The type of news that is covered varies between countries and communities, but some broad categories can be identified:
Hard news is what appears on the front page of a newspaper or at the top of a news broadcast. It is usually political, military or economic in nature and has a wide impact.
Soft news is more general in nature and includes stories such as accidents, births, marriages and deaths. It also includes weather events and climate change.
Sports news is of interest to a lot of people, and it can be interesting to know how teams are performing in particular competitions. Other sports-related news is of interest to many people as well, including results of past competitions, player transfers and new signings.
Entertainment news can include music, dance, theatre and cinema, but it can also cover the latest celebrity gossip. It can also be about the success of a TV or film production, or a new play or musical.