The Importance of News
News is the information that informs people about events occurring in their everyday lives. It covers a wide range of topics and is available in many formats such as television, newspaper, radio, internet and magazines. The news is usually delivered in a fast, concise and accurate manner. It also provides a perspective on what is happening in the world, culture and politics. The news is important to most people because it helps them make sense of their environment and gives them the tools to understand the world around them.
Events that make news are those which affect a large number of people, are unexpected, or have significance beyond a single person’s experience. News stories may be about celebrities, politicians, wars or terrorist attacks, natural disasters, or anything that causes alarm or apprehension among the public. Historically, news has been conveyed through word of mouth and subsequently spread by written media such as books, magazines and newspapers. More recently, new communication technologies such as television, radio and the internet have been used to broadcast news.
It is important to keep in mind that the news you read, watch or listen to does not change the world. Only the facts can change the world. However, if presented accurately, clearly and picturesquely, the news can teach and inspire, so long as it is free from political, corporate or other biases. There are several news organizations that have earned a reputation for being unbiased. The Associated Press (AP) is a good example; it has no commercial advertising and is not funded by the government. It has a reputation for accuracy and is frequently cited by other news outlets.
News about famous people or their lifestyles can be of interest to many, especially if they are controversial or fall from grace. The same goes for news about money, jobs and the economy. Health is another topic of widespread interest and people are interested in stories about hospitals, diseases, traditional remedies, and diets. Sex is a topic that most societies are at least somewhat interested in, although they do not openly discuss it.
When writing a news article, it is important to start with a good headline. It must be catchy, attention grabbing and emotion evoking. A good headline will ensure that the reader will read the story to its end. The body of the news article should be structured using the inverted pyramid method, where the most important information comes first and each subsequent paragraph contains less and less detail.
Regardless of the format or source, the most important characteristic of news is timeliness. The news must be current and about things that are currently happening or have just happened. This is the reason that news about 9-11-01 is still being broadcast and discussed today, despite its being over a decade ago. Similarly, a story about the weather or sports will be of much lesser interest if it is from last week or even last year.