What Is News?
News is any story that has become available to the public in print or on television. It can be about anything from a sporting event to a political controversy or crime. The main purpose of news reporting is to inform the public about events that may affect them or their livelihoods.
The values that journalists consider when deciding whether or not to report something are known as news values. These include the impact of an event, violence and scandal, the locality in which the story takes place, and its relevance to readers.
In general, the most important news value is impact – it has a high likelihood of changing public opinion and of making a big impression on people’s lives. The other news values are: surprise, entertainment and celebrity, and exclusivity.
Using news values to judge which stories are important is not necessarily an exact science, but it does offer a guide for how to select the most newsworthy topics and what constitutes ‘big news’ in the eyes of readers.
It is also worth noting that some of the more traditional news values, such as exclusivity and surprise, are more significant in the broadsheet/quality press than in the popular red-top titles. This is probably because these newspapers are more likely to feature news that is particularly significant to readers, and are therefore more conscious of their’serious’ journalism.
There are many different models of news making, which all aim to find ways of defining what the news is and how it should be reported (Westerhahl and Johansson 1994). The three main models are:
The professional model aims to provide accurate reports that are consistent with reality and reflect public opinion. This model is based on the belief that skilled people can put together certain events to influence public opinion and to create a sense of social pressure.
The mirror model is another way of defining what the news is and how to report it. This model aims to ensure accuracy in reporting and to focus on a particular group of people who will be affected by the story.
Organizing the news
The organization of the news is an important part of what makes it interesting and relevant to readers. News articles are usually arranged in an inverted pyramid format, with the most important information in the first paragraphs and less critical details at the end of the article. This helps the reader to focus on the most important information, and it can help them to follow a complex story line.
Writing for News
The key to writing for news is to keep it short and to the point. The main reason for this is that most readers do not have the time to read long and detailed pieces. In addition, most news publications are geared toward a specific audience, and the best way to target your readers is by determining what their interests are.
The first step in writing a news article is to research the topic and gather all of your facts and quotes. This will give you a great foundation for the rest of your story. It will also help you to write an engaging and factual article that your readers will be glad to read.