News is a form of communication that informs the public on current events, particularly those that have an immediate effect or impact. It can be reported in many forms, from newspapers and radio broadcasts to television and the internet. It can also be found in magazines, encyclopedias and books. News stories are usually based on fact, but can be presented with bias or opinion. Regardless of the medium, there are some common components to writing a well-formed news article.
The most important information must be in the first paragraph (called the lede in journalism). This is what creates interest for the reader and is the first impression of what’s happening. It answers the basic questions of who, what, when and where. The rest of the story then adds to this, building on it. In hard news, this can mean putting the most significant details first and then adding more detail as you go along.
People have an interest in stories that involve big names. This could be film stars, sports players, politicians, philosophers or poets. This is a result of the perceived influence or power that these persons have in their fields or areas of expertise. Events that have greater loss of life or damage also create interest.
It’s important to check facts before publishing any article, but especially news articles. It can be difficult to spot your own spelling and grammatical errors, so it’s a good idea to have someone else read your piece before it goes live.