What Makes a News Story?

News

News is a piece of information that tells people about important events and happenings. It is usually written in a journalistic style and has the objective of informing readers on current affairs. News articles can be found in newspapers, magazines and online. They cover everything from politics and business to sports and celebrity gossip. News is usually reported in an impartial way, with only facts and no opinions or biases.

There are several models that help to define what makes a news story. The Mirror Model suggests that news should reflect reality and be objective in its approach. The Bargaining Model argues that the news media is subject to various pressures from both the public and political bodies, and therefore reflects this in its content. The Professional Model argues that skilled journalists can have an impact on what is considered to be newsworthy.

The type of event that makes a story will vary between societies, but there are some general criteria which apply. A story is usually about people – their actions, beliefs and feelings – although it could be about non-human events such as natural disasters or pollution incidents. Events which are new or unusual are also likely to make the headlines, as will those which affect a large number of people.

A story may be based on an original or reported source. This could be a government statement, the views of an expert or the comments of ordinary people affected by the issue. Using multiple sources provides readers with a range of viewpoints and allows them to assess the validity of the news item.

When writing a news article, it is important to ensure that the most relevant information is included in the first paragraph. This is known as the nut graph and includes answering who, what, when, where and why. It is the information which will be most likely to grab a reader’s attention and create intrigue or curiosity.

The next paragraphs will build on this information. If possible, the stories should be presented in an inverted pyramid structure. This means that the most relevant information is placed at the top of the article, with subsequent paragraphs containing less detail. This is especially important when writing for a newspaper, as the top stories will be visible above the fold. This is the area which most readers will see before they start to read the rest of the paper.

The final paragraphs should include a reference to the source and a short summary of the main points of the story. It is also helpful to provide a list of links to websites or further reading. When writing a news article, it is best to avoid using personal pronouns such as ‘I’ or ‘you’, and instead use third person ones like ‘he’ or’she’. This will help to keep the article objective and professional.