News is information about events that have occurred or will occur. People can learn about what is happening in the world by reading newspapers and watching TV and radio. They can also find news online. It is important to know how to distinguish between good and bad news. It is also important to understand that what is considered news in one society may not be news in another.
Getting the facts
The first step in writing a news article is to research the topic thoroughly. This can be a time consuming task but it is vital to the success of the article. Once the researcher has gathered all the relevant information they can start to put it into a coherent format. A news article will generally include a headline, the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where and why) and supporting evidence. This could be in the form of quotes from sources or expert opinions.
Brainstorming a snappy headline
A great headline will capture the reader’s attention and convey the main point of the story. It is also essential to avoid sensationalism as this will not appeal to readers and could lead to them becoming less engaged with the article. This is why it is important to be as impartial as possible and avoid using words such as’shocking’, ‘astonishing’ or ‘unbelievable’ in your headlines.
Identifying your audience
Once you have researched the topic you should identify your target audience. This will help you decide which aspects of the story to focus on and which to ignore. It will also help you determine whether your piece is suited to a general newspaper, magazine or website and decide on the format of the article. A news article will usually have a more formal tone than a blog post or opinion piece.
Finding the right facts
Often people will be drawn to a story because of how it affects them or those close to them. This could be because of a natural disaster, war or political unrest. In other cases the story will be about something that is of interest to a specific group of people, such as sport, weather or food.
If you want to limit the impact of bad news on your life try turning off push notifications from news apps. This will prevent your feeds being filled with stories that are designed to rile up or cause emotional reactions. Instead follow outlets that have a reputation for thoughtfully and objectively reporting on the news, such as VOX, Refinery29, The Skimm or Flare’s Explainer series. It is also a good idea to follow outlets that focus on positive or light-hearted news.