News is a brief piece of information that is reported in a newspaper, magazine or on the radio. It should be factual and objective and include all the relevant details that the reader needs in order to understand the event or issue being reported on. In many cases, the writer will also include his or her own opinion on the matter.
In some cases, the information in a news article may be used for entertainment purposes, but this is only appropriate where the topic can be viewed as having some form of comedy value. Generally speaking, the main purpose of a news story is to inform and educate the audience, and this is best achieved by using information that is both current and interesting.
The information in a news story is usually obtained from primary sources. This means that the reporter goes out and interviews those who are involved in the events, or those who have knowledge of what has happened. For example, if a fire has broken out in a building, he or she will interview the firefighters who have dealt with it. The reporter will also need to speak with the owner of the building and any other people who have been affected by it.
In addition to these primary sources, secondary information can also be found in other news stories about similar events. This is often used to supplement the main information in a story and provide more detail to the reader. For instance, if there has been an earlier report about a fire that broke out in the same building, this information can be used to fill in some of the gaps in the story.
While the above factors are a good guideline, there is no set formula for what makes something newsworthy. In general, however, newsworthy subjects are those that have the potential to affect a large number of people or that involve something unusual. This could be anything from a plane crash that causes significant injuries to the public to an animal attack that kills several members of a family.
A major concern of many people is the environment, so stories about environmental issues can make the news. This can also apply to economic or social issues, such as a factory that is polluting the local river.
People are also interested in the lives of celebrities and other famous people. They like to know what they are doing and how they look, so the news will often report on their marriages, children, jobs or other personal information. In addition, the news is often interested in what happens to famous people who fall from grace or are involved in scandals.
People are also interested in the history of a place or time, so they will follow stories about it. For instance, if a museum discovers that one of its paintings is a forgery, this will be newsworthy, as it will impact a wide number of people.