News is the information that informs a reader on what’s happening in their world. This information may come from a variety of sources such as magazines, newspapers, radio and television. Oftentimes, this information is based on events that have happened and is designed to capture the interest of a reader. News stories are a crucial part of any democracy because they keep citizens informed. The way that a society responds to the news also influences how a country develops and grows. The information that is deemed to be newsworthy can be categorized by impact, proximity and drama.
Impact refers to how many people are affected by a certain event. For example, a story about a train crash that has killed several people would have a higher impact than an earthquake that only affects a few. Proximity refers to how close the story is to the reader. A story about a neighbor that is going bankrupt might have more proximity than a celebrity divorce. Drama refers to a story that is controversial or sparks public debate. This could be a story about violence or scandal. Celebrity can add to the intrigue of a story as well.
When writing a news article, the most important thing to remember is that it needs to be current. It won’t do a newspaper any good to talk about something that happened 10 years ago. Unless, of course, it is an anniversary of something significant that has happened, such as the first moon landing or 9-11-01. A reporter should also try to get as much feedback from the community as possible to make sure that their article is accurate and interesting.