News is the information about current events, obtained from everywhere and at any time, and presented to readers by newspapers, magazines, radio and television. It is usually objective and accurate.
News should inform and educate. But it also can entertain – through music, drama or comedy on TV or radio; cartoons and crosswords in newspapers. Entertainment is not the main reason for news, however. Its job is to tell us what is happening in our lives, and the world around us, so that we can make informed decisions.
In the past, a lot of news was about war and other political events. But now, most news is about people. This is because most people want to know about other people – their lives, loves, fears and achievements. This is why most newspapers and radio stations focus on the human story, rather than political stories.
A good news article starts with 25 compelling words to draw the reader in. This is called a lede in journalism jargon. The lead should include many of the key facts of the news story. It should also be written in the present tense. News articles are usually written in an inverted pyramid structure – the most important information is given first, followed by other less important information.
Try to avoid using jargon in your news articles – or, if you do use it, explain it to the reader at the beginning of the article. It is best to write in the third person unless there is a strong reason to use first or second. If you are quoting someone, always use their full first name or initials – don’t jar the reader with switches between the two.
