What Is News?

News is the information about events that affect people, places or things, obtained by journalists and conveyed to the public. The definition of news varies and may include a wide range of topics such as breaking stories, crime, obituaries, weather and sports.

News stories must be interesting, informative and accurate to be of value to readers. However, they should not be so boring or factually heavy that the reader becomes overwhelmed.

It is important to know who you are writing for when creating a news story. For example, if you are writing a story for a local newspaper, your audience is likely to be primarily those who live in the area covered by the paper. For a national newspaper, the audience is wider and may include many people from across the country.

For a sports newspaper, you will need to identify the players and coaches involved as well as provide statistics such as rushing yards and receiving yards. You will also want to give background on the team and its history. In addition, you will need to quote the coach and other individuals associated with the game.

Crime stories can be anything from a road traffic accident to robbery or murder. They will generally be of greater interest if they are unusual or if they involve a high profile figure. Money news items include fortunes made and lost, business failures, school fees, tax bills, the Budget, food prices, wage rises and compensation claims.