News is information about current events and affairs that are of public interest. It is the type of material that is presented on television, radio and in newspapers. It is also found on the Internet, where it is called online news. The content of news varies and can be political, financial, social, cultural or environmental. The main aim of the news is to inform and educate the public about what is happening in the world around them.
A good news article answers the five Ws: who, what, when, where and why. It should also include the impact of the event and any possible future consequences. The story must be significant to attract attention and interest the reader. It should also be relevant to the audience of the publication or broadcaster.
Many people use the Internet to get their news. There are a number of websites that offer unbiased, international and regional news. Some of these sites are BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera. It is also possible to find a variety of opinion pieces on the Web, which can be useful for a comparison of different views on a subject.
The most important thing to remember when writing a news article is not to inject your own opinions. This is not always possible, but it is better to let the facts speak for themselves. This is why it is important to cite all your sources and provide links for further reading.
One important aspect of news is that it can be controversial or upsetting. This may be a result of the way that the story is told, the subject matter or the fact that it is breaking some kind of social norm. The media has a responsibility to balance out the sensational with the factual and the ethical.
It is also important to write a news article that appeals to the audience of the newspaper, magazine or website on which it will be published. The demographic is usually based on location, but can also be influenced by the type of news being reported. If you are reporting a school event, for example, the audience will likely be parents of the children involved. If you are reporting zoning issues in a commercial area, the audience may consist of realtors and business owners.
Once an article is finished it should be checked by someone else before being published. This person will check the facts and make sure that the information is complete and accurate. The writer must be careful not to include any information that could be considered libelous, or which would breach copyright laws. This is especially important when the news is about a person. In this case the author should seek out permission from the person involved before publishing the article. The Internet makes it easy for incorrect or misleading information to be passed on, so a journalist must be vigilant to investigate the claims of anyone they interview or quote from.