What Makes Newsworthy?
News is information about current events and is usually reported by journalists. It includes a wide range of subjects such as weather, politics, crime and sports. The information provided by news is often unbiased and accurate, but it can also be biased and inaccurate. It is the responsibility of journalists to make sure that all facts are checked before they are published. The three main qualities that news must have are – credibility, objectivity and fairness.
In order to be newsworthy, an event must have a certain degree of novelty. It must be unusual, interesting or significant and must have people involved in it. However, an event can still be news even if it has happened before. For example, the assassination of Mrs Gandhi may be interesting and significant but it will not be new if it has been reported in yesterday’s newspapers. However, if some facts about that assassination are revealed for the first time then it will be news.
The time factor also plays an important role in the newsworthiness of an event. It is not good for a newspaper to discuss an event that took place weeks ago; the public has already moved on from that topic. It is better to focus on the latest news.
A news article should start with a catchy headline that catches the reader’s attention and evokes an emotion. It should then give a brief overview of the newsworthy event and include all relevant facts. It is advisable to use the active voice in the headline and throughout the news article. It is a writing style that is more concise and effective.