News is any item of information that is broadcast or published on a regular basis and concerns current or recent events. News stories are generally unbiased, factual and brief and often include photographs or video footage. They usually begin with the most important information first and then provide supporting details in a chronological order. It’s also common practice to add quotes from people who were involved or have knowledge of the story and to reference opinions from experts in the field.

To be considered newsworthy, an event must meet certain criteria: Exclusivity: First-hand information or material obtained exclusively by the news organisation. Magnitude: The significance of the subject matter in terms of its scale, number of people involved or potential impact. Impact: How the subject will affect people’s lives or how it might influence their future decisions. Interest: How a subject will be perceived by the audience and what it might mean to them. This can vary from society to society. For example, some people will be more interested in a bug infesting their crops than others, depending on their livelihood and food supply.

A major part of the job for any journalist is to research and find information about a subject that hasn’t already been published. Some of this research may be done on the internet, but most of it is gathered by interviewing sources in the field. Interviews can take the form of a phone call, email or face-to-face meeting and should be conducted as objectively as possible.

In a news article, it’s important to keep the reader in mind at all times and ask yourself what their reaction will be to your subject. It is best to avoid swaying the reader’s opinion, but if you can find an angle that will make the story interesting to your audience then do so.

It’s also worth considering the tone of your writing. Although a neutral tone reads well, it’s common for some publications to use language that swings the sentiment of the news. This is a little disingenuous and doesn’t allow the reader to formulate their own opinion of the topic, so it should be avoided where possible.

A good journalist will be able to get the information out quickly and accurately, without embellishing the facts. This is particularly important when it comes to reporting breaking news, as the audience will be expecting information as soon as possible. Using descriptive words like “gilded” or “sparkling” can be overkill, so try to use them sparingly and only where they add value. Similarly, adjectives that suggest emotional content can be misleading and should also be used sparingly.