News is information that tells readers about events, trends or happenings in the world. It can be current, past or future events and is often based on factual evidence or opinions from experts. It may also contain analysis or interpretation of those facts. News articles can be about any type of topic that affects people, from social issues to sport to the economy.
Generally speaking, the more significant and unusual a piece of news is, the more likely it will be reported. However, this is not always the case and there are other criteria that can be used to judge the strength of a news story. For example, a bug that kills a crop might be considered newsworthy whereas the death of a celebrity would not. In addition, it is often considered good practice to report news from a variety of sources in order to present a well-rounded view of the subject.
There are many different types of news articles, and a writer must know how to distinguish between hard and soft news stories and feature or in-depth news stories. For example, a feature article will take a smaller subject and conduct extensive research on it. This is often done with the use of interviews, and a reporter must be careful not to insert their own bias into the piece.
A news story should always be written to inform. It is important to include a wide range of factual information in a news article and give it a clear, concise structure. For example, a story about an event should begin with the event itself and then move on to describe its impact. The conclusion should then restate the leading statement (thesis) and highlight any potential further developments relating to the topic.
In addition, it is important to avoid putting the author’s opinion into a news article unless it is directly related to the subject. This is particularly true of opinion pieces that are not based on factual information. However, a journalist must also remember that their audience might have an opinion about a particular subject and it is therefore important to allow them to form this opinion if it is based on sound evidence.
One of the most important roles of news media is to hold individuals and organizations accountable for their actions and decisions. By exposing corruption, scandals and unethical behavior, news media plays a vital role in promoting transparency and accountability.