What Is News?

News is information about current events that has the potential to be of interest to readers, listeners or viewers. It is a form of mass communication that has been around for centuries and has been transported through various mediums, including print (newspapers), radio, television and the Internet.

In the past, people carried news stories around by word of mouth or on hand written pamphlets. The invention of printing enabled the spread of the news to a wider audience and this led to the development of newspapers, magazines and radio programs. Nowadays, the majority of people get their news through television, the Internet and mobile devices.

A key element of a news story is to catch the reader’s attention. This can be done by writing the article clearly and concisely so that it is easy to read. It is also important to avoid using jargon, as this can make the news article difficult to understand. It is often helpful to refer back to the original source of the news, as this can help clarify any confusion.

Another important aspect of a news article is to provide as many facts as possible. This can be done by listing all the major points in the article and then following them up with more details about the topic, such as quotes from experts in the field or other information that is of interest to the reader. It is also helpful to include a conclusion in the news article, which can be a restatement of the leading statement or a statement indicating possible future developments that could be of interest to the reader. It is a good idea to read other news articles for ideas on how to best accomplish this and also to watch the news on TV or at a station to see how they wrap up their stories.

The most common subject for a news article is human activity, which can be either positive or negative. It is often the case that a news story will have a strong emotional impact on the audience and this can be used to attract readership. Examples of positive news would be an important scientific breakthrough or the signing of a peace treaty. Negative news would include terrorist attacks, natural disasters or the death of a famous person.

There are a number of different opinions about what constitutes news and these vary from one society to the next. A classic definition is “dog bites man” or “man bites dog”, although the fact that the event has happened is not always enough on its own to make it newsworthy. The importance attached to the event and its impact on the society will determine whether it is deemed newsworthy.

People are interested in the lives of famous people and this can be a source of news, particularly when they are involved in scandal or fall from grace. People are also very interested in health issues, so news stories about hospitals and clinics, medical research and drugs are frequently seen in the media. Finally, most societies are at least mildly interested in sex and this can be the basis for a lot of news stories.