News is the information that people read in newspapers, magazines, listen to on the radio and watch on television. It covers current events and aims to inform, educate and amuse its readers, listeners or viewers. This information can be a mix of fact and fiction, but it should always be accurate and verifiable.
A good news article will have a number of elements which combine to make it “newsworthy.” It is likely to be new, unusual, interesting and significant, and it must also be about people. The more these criteria are met, the better the news will be. It is also important to think about the audience of the publication or broadcast which will be reading or listening to the news, because what is considered as newsworthy may vary between different audiences and communities.
Crime: Any crime is potentially newsworthy, but more serious crimes are of greater interest. Stories about murders, robberies, burglaries and car theft are often of particular interest, but there is also news value in reporting on crimes which involve corruption or forgery, compensation claims, the effects of drugs and alcohol, war crimes and the death of people in natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes or earthquakes.
Money: All societies are interested in money, and the fortunes which are made and lost are often of interest to the public. Other stories of interest include the weather, food and drink, school fees, taxes, the Budget, the cost of living and rationing, wage rises, inflation, crop diseases, unemployment and economic crises. People are also interested in stories about famous people, their careers and the way they live; it is particularly interesting when these people fall out with one another or lose their wealth.
Other issues which can be of interest include religion, sport and entertainment. The world is full of many fascinating and exciting things, but they are not all newsworthy. It is the job of the journalist to decide what events are worthy of being reported.
There are many different ways that news can be consumed, and the choice of media depends on personal preference and the availability of time. For example, some people prefer to read the newspaper while others enjoy listening to the radio or watching TV. Increasingly, people are turning to the Internet for their news. Online news aggregators like Google News share articles from multiple sources, using algorithms rather than human curation. This can be a useful source of global news, although it is important to remember that online sources can contain incorrect or biased information.