News is information about current events or incidents which people are interested in. It is often reported in a newspaper or magazine. News may also be broadcast on television or radio. It is important that News is accurate and well written.
When writing a news article the writer must first research their topic extensively. It is essential to find out the five W’s – who, what, where, when and why. The writer should then identify the key points which are vital to the story.
It is also essential to remember that not all events or incidents are newsworthy. It is the unusual, interesting or significant nature of the event which makes it newsworthy. A man waking up, having breakfast and catching the bus to work every day is not newsworthy but a coup in another country might be.
Once the writer has identified their key points it is necessary to draft a snappy headline which will inform readers about the story without giving away any of the important details. The writer should then write the lead paragraph, which explains what the news story is about and provides an overview of the key points. The lead should then be edited to fit the inverted pyramid format.
The journalist should then use quotes from primary sources to give the reader insight into the subject matter of the story. They may also use secondary sources to offer technical commentary or analysis. It is vital that the writer does not insert their own opinion into the article and only presents facts which they believe to be true.