News is a story about something interesting, unusual or significant. It is information about events in society and around the world. News is often reported in newspapers, magazines and radio but can also be found on television and the internet. Generally, the news is written to inform and educate but it can also entertain. People need to know what is happening in the world around them and the best way to do this is by reading the news.
A good news article should contain the “five Ws” – who, what, where, when and why. Having strong and well-researched primary sources will also help. These are interviews with those involved in the news or pieces collected from other stories about the same event. For example, if a person saved their cat from a fire, the reporter may interview them directly and quote them to tell the story. They might also reference the original story of the cat caught in a fire, for context.
In addition to being interesting, unusual or significant, a piece of news is likely to be important if it affects people in a particular way. If a coup takes place in the neighbouring country, for example, it will be important to many people but it might not have the same impact as a fire that threatens a whole city. It is also important to note patterns in the news – for example, if a fancy restaurant closes it will be front page news if it is the fourth one to go in the same block over a few weeks but not necessarily if only two have closed over a year.