News is information about events that affect people or things that can be of interest to them. It can be about current affairs – such as wars, political unrest or social change – or it can be about entertainment – like a film premiere or a celebrity wedding. News articles should be factual and should provide a balanced view of a story. They should also be interesting and entertaining.
The strength of a news item depends on how many of the five elements of newsworthiness are met: it must be new, unusual, interesting, significant or about people. The relative importance of the elements may vary from society to society; for example, a farm wall collapsing and killing two cows but not a pig would be less newsworthy in the US than it might be in China, where livestock are more valuable. The newsworthiness of a story can be further enhanced by the impact that it might have on the audience; for instance, a coup in a neighbouring country might be more important than one in your own country.
A good news article will answer the “5 W’s” – what, when, who, where and why – and it should be accurate, fair and timely. It should use expert sources but also include the opinions of ordinary citizens to help place the news in context and to highlight different perspectives.
People want to be informed about what is happening in their community and the world. This is why most newspapers and magazines feature news and current affairs. They aim to educate their readers and listeners and to entertain them too – with music and drama programmes on radio and TV, cartoons in newspapers, and crosswords or music quizzes in magazines.
Stories about money make interesting reading, whether it be fortunes made or lost, taxes, the budget, school fees, food prices, wage rises and compensation claims. Crime and accidents also make the news – for example, road traffic offences, murders, break-ins and robberies. Stories about food and drink are of interest too – shortages or gluts, prices in the market, crop diseases or famines.
It is important to be skeptical about the accuracy of online news, especially as it travels so quickly and widely on social media. It is often worth opening a second tab in your browser and researching any claims or author credentials that you come across on a site. If an article seems too sensational to be true, it probably is. Beware of fake news; it can be spread deliberately to manipulate public opinion or to gain clicks. It can also be spread by people who don’t check their facts, or by journalists who are trying to make a quick buck by recycling old news or by using inflammatory language to provoke reactions. It is best to read and share news from sites that strive for high standards of journalism, such as VOX, Refinery29 or Flare’s Explainer series. Similarly, it is generally best to avoid sharing partisan propaganda on any platform.