News is an event or piece of information, which aims to interest or influence readers. In order to be classified as news, an article must have certain characteristics. It must be new, it must have a human angle, and it must contain important details. The news should also be able to change people’s ideas or attitudes.
The most common topics for news reports are war, government, politics, education, business, environment, and health. They are often reported in a chronological order. They can be serious or humorous. In addition, they can include interviews and quotes from people involved.
Regardless of the subject matter, news must be accurate and objective. It must not be biased and should always include a source where the information was obtained. This ensures that the article is credible and can be trusted by the reader. It is also important for news to be timely. Events that have already occurred are not usually considered newsworthy.
In addition, a news story should be concise and written in clear, simple sentences. It is also important for the writer to use active voice when possible and avoid jargon and abbreviations. The first paragraph of a news article contains the most important facts, and each subsequent paragraph adds more detail. This technique is known as the inverted pyramid. This format is used to make sure that the most important information is at the top of the article and that the reader can get a sense of what happened as quickly as possible.
Another important characteristic of a news story is that it must be interesting to read. People will be more interested in reading about something that affects them directly. This is why it is important to report on local issues and events. The same information can be reported in a variety of ways, but it is important to choose the most relevant method for the audience.
The ability of the media to influence people is one of its most important strengths. It can change opinions and even affect public policy. It is therefore important for citizens to have access to a free press. This will allow them to keep informed about what is happening in their country and around the world.
While it is relatively easy for governments to shut down newspapers, radio and television stations, it is much more difficult to stop the spread of information via the Internet. This has led to a rise in citizen journalists who provide an additional perspective on global events. Additionally, mobile devices can be used to send and receive news from anywhere in the world. It is important to have an editor read any news article before submitting it for publication. This will help to eliminate any spelling or grammatical errors and to simplify awkward sentences. Additionally, an editor will be able to provide feedback on the content and structure of the article. This can be especially helpful if the author is unfamiliar with the genre of writing.