News is current events that happen in the world. Usually news stories are about people.
The main criteria for news stories are that they be new, unusual, interesting and significant. A story that is all of these is a very good one. Often the significance of an event is a major factor in how big or small a story it is.
A big news story can have a major impact on the whole country or the world. It might be about war, crime or politics. It can also be about the weather, a disaster or an accident. News stories can also be about famous people, the way they do things and how they look. They can also be about health – traditional remedies, hospitals and clinics, drugs, diet and exercise – and sex.
It is important to intake news from a range of sources. This will give you a more comprehensive view of the issues and help you to avoid extreme bias, misinformation or outright lies.
There is a lot of competition for reader attention. News articles need to grab readers at the beginning in a way that explains why they should care about the story. This is known as the lead and usually takes the form of a dramatic anecdote or a surprising fact. The lead also contains the answers to the key questions – who, what, where, when and why. A good lead will also include a byline (the name of the writer) so that readers can see who they are reading about.
