The news is the information that is gathered, reported and published about events that happen in society. It is often called the oxygen of democracy, because a democratic system relies on an informed citizenry to function. In the modern age, the way that people get their news is changing and so is the content of the news itself. Many different models of news have been discussed, but one important model is the “Mirror” model – that is, the news should reflect reality. Other models include the “Organizational” model, which argues that there are various pressures on the news industry and that these can influence the type of news that is selected and published; the “Political” model, which argues that the ideological biases of politicians can influence the selection of news items; and the “Audience” model, which argues that audiences themselves may have an impact on what they see in their local newspapers or online.
While things are happening all the time, not everything is newsworthy. An example would be a man going to work on his bus every day; this is an ordinary and everyday event that does not make the news. However, if the man had an unusual job, or if he was the oldest person to ever ride a bus, that could be newsworthy.
In order to be considered newsworthy, a story should be new, interesting, significant and about people. Of course, what is considered interesting and significant will vary from one culture to another. It is also likely that the same event will have a different news value in two different places; for instance, a coup d’etat in a neighbouring country may be much more important than a coup in your own.
Once you have decided on a topic for your news article, it is a good idea to gather some sources. These sources can be primary or secondary. A primary source is someone who has direct knowledge of the subject, for example a firefighter who was involved in a rescue or a person whose cat was saved from a burning building. A secondary source is someone who knows something about the topic, for example a doctor who has studied the effects of the fire on the health of the cat’s lungs.
Writing your news article begins with the headline, which should be short and catchy, and should contain basic facts about the subject. It is also a good idea to include your byline at the top of the page, so that readers know who wrote the story. Many publications have different formats for their headlines and leads, so it is worth researching these before deciding on how to write your own.
Once you have the details for your news article, it is a wise idea to proofread it. This can ensure that the information is correct and that the article is written in a manner that will be easy for readers to understand. It is also a good idea to cite your sources using the appropriate academic style guidelines.