News is information that relates to the world around us. It can be about current events, people or places. It may be good or bad news. News is usually published in a newspaper, magazine or online.
Keeping up with the latest news is one of the most important jobs of modern society. It is important to know what is happening in the world and how it affects us. News can also help us make decisions about how we live our lives. It can inform our choices about what we do and who we vote for. It can help us decide what kind of lifestyle we want to lead and what our values are.
The most common form of news is the newspaper, but it can also be found on TV, radio, magazines and the Internet. The goal of a newspaper is to keep its readers up to date on what is happening in their own community and the rest of the world. News articles should be short and clear so that the reader can understand what is happening. They should be written so that the reader will want to read them and share them with others. They should also be accurate so that the reader will get the most up to date information possible.
When writing a news article, it is important to include quotes from the people involved in the story. Including their full names and occupations can give the article more credibility. It is also important to use their first and last initials on the first reference instead of just their middle initial. This helps readers avoid jarring switches of person, which can be distracting to the reader.
It is also important to include a lot of background information, expert opinions and different viewpoints in a news article. This can help readers make sense of complex situations. It can also help them understand the reasons behind certain decisions and actions that are taken by governments, businesses or individuals. This can help them avoid making the same mistakes in the future or making decisions based on emotion instead of fact.
A key role of news is to hold people and organizations accountable for their actions. By reporting on corruption and unethical behavior, news can help ensure that those in power are held to high ethical standards.
When a story is newsworthy it must have some element of drama and clearly identifiable good and bad characters or situations. It must also be significant in terms of the numbers of people affected or the amount of damage done. The ability to surprise and delight the audience is another important aspect of newsworthiness. This can be achieved by using a variety of techniques, such as highlighting unusual or strange facts and providing humorous treatment or picturesque descriptions. These techniques can be used in conjunction with the other news values to create a compelling story. The LAMPLit section on this topic also includes a list of sources where students can find additional reading material to learn more about news.