News is current information about events that has happened, is happening, or will happen, often gathered by journalists and presented to the public through various media. Historically, news was transmitted verbally or in written form such as letters to the editor and private newsletters, but with the advent of mass printing and the development of radio and television, it became possible to present the news in a format which could be quickly compiled, read, and disseminated.
News can cover a wide variety of topics, but is usually focused on the human element. News articles can be about war, politics, government, education, health, business, the environment, or anything which is important to a large number of people. News is also often about famous people, their relationships, and the way they live. It can even be about their deaths or how they came to be famous.
A good news article will present facts in a clear and concise manner. It will use the inverted pyramid format which presents the most important facts at the top of the story, with progressively less important details descending from there. The story should also avoid giving its opinion about what is happening or why it is happening. If the writer does have an opinion, this should be clearly stated as a separate column or part of a commentary piece and not included in the news report itself.
In order for something to be considered newsworthy, it must be new, unusual, interesting, significant, or about people. For example, a man biting his dog is not usually newsworthy, but if the bite causes rabies it may be. In addition, the same event can have different newsworthiness depending on whether it happens in your country or another country. For example, a coup d’etat in your neighbouring country may be much bigger than the same coup in your own country. However, the ‘bigger’ story does not necessarily mean more important; a local coup may be just as newsworthy as a foreign one. This is because it has the potential to impact the stability of your own country.
