News is information about current events which relates to the public. It is generally about what is happening in the world, on a local or national scale and can include things such as politics, war, business, crime and natural disasters. News is often sourced from official sources, such as police, but can also be gathered by journalists and people in the community.
Some news is ‘hard’ and has a strong impact on people’s lives. It may be about a coup in another country, a new product or an accident which has killed many people. These stories are usually ‘front page’ material, and often appear at the top of web pages and at the start of news broadcasts.
Other news is’soft’ and concerns what people like to hear about. It might be about famous people, their lifestyles or the way they look, the work they do and how much money they make. Health is a popular subject for news, with stories about traditional medicines and treatments, hospitals and medical research. The ‘rich and famous’ can be of interest, especially when they fall from favour or lose their fortunes. People are interested in sex news (although they don’t always like to talk about it) and in news about food, drink, agriculture and art.
It is important to know your audience when writing a news article, so that you can determine what will appeal to them. You can do this by considering the five Ws – who, what, where, when and why. You should also consider the background to a story, such as how it happened or why it is significant.