News is information about a current event, activity or situation. It can be both positive and negative in tone and can affect the emotions of people reading it. Some of the factors that make a story newsworthy include prominence (who is involved), frequency, magnitude and timeliness.

An effective news article should contain all the relevant facts and details about a subject. This includes a lead statement that tells the reader what is happening and why it’s important. It should also include a background summary of the topic and, if appropriate, opinions about it. It’s also important to include a list of sources in a news article, and to cite them correctly.

When writing a news article, start with the most important information first and work down from there. This is called the upside-down pyramid method, and it will help you stay on track with your article’s structure.

Some of the most important facts to cover are who, what, when, where and why. It is also helpful to include a picture of the subject whenever possible. This can help to grab the attention of readers and make them want to continue reading.

It’s important to follow up any main points in a news article with additional information, such as contact information for people involved or quotes from interviews. This will help to enrich the story and give it more depth.

The most important thing to remember when writing a news article is to keep it timely. It doesn’t do anyone any good to read about something that happened a week ago, so it’s essential to focus on the present when deciding what is newsworthy.

Another factor that makes a news story is its relevance, whether it’s a local or global issue. People will be more interested in reading about a national or international issue that affects them directly than an issue that doesn’t.

A fourth factor that makes a news story is its pattern. This can be a trend, repetition or consistency in an event or activity. For example, if one fancy restaurant closes in an economy struggling to survive, it might not be front-page news, but if four restaurants have closed on the same block in the last two weeks, that may be worth mentioning. It’s also important to consider what other events or activities are relating to the subject, as these can often be highlighted by a news story as well. For example, a school shooting is likely to be front-page news if it has a direct impact on a student.