News is any interesting event that relates to the human interest. It must be presented briefly so that it can be read, clearly so that it can be understood and, above all, picturesquely so that it can be remembered.
A free press is often referred to as the oxygen of democracy. This is because democracies require the consent of a knowledgeable citizenry to function. It is the responsibility of journalists to report facts and present a variety of points of view in order to keep citizens informed.
In modern times, the amount of information available through newspapers, television and radio is almost overwhelming. This makes it necessary to filter out the dross and only read the most important or relevant news. Unfortunately, many people are unable to do this effectively and end up reading only the most biased or sensational pieces.
The main purpose of news is to inform the public about what is happening in their society and the world at large. To do this, the media must be independent and objective in their reporting. It must also strive to highlight the voices of ordinary people, especially those who are most affected by a story or who are its most vocal advocates.
People have an innate curiosity about the world around them. In addition to the obvious, such as natural disasters, weather events and political scandals, they are also interested in a variety of other topics. These include:
Controversy: People are always interested in disagreements and rivalries, charges and counter-charges. This can add a spice and intrigue to a story. Celebrities: People are interested in famous people and the lives they lead. They are especially interested when these people fall from grace or are involved in scandal. Health: People are concerned about their health and are interested in stories about traditional remedies, new medical research, diseases, hospitals and clinics. Sex: All societies are interested in sex and what happens when it goes against social norms.
When writing a news article, it is important to have a clear idea of the demographic that you will be targeting. This can be based on location (for example, local news) or the subject matter of the article (such as a sports event). You will want to interview as many sources as possible in order to get a balanced perspective on a story. Beware, however, that some sources may have their own agendas, which will affect the overall tone of the article. To minimize this, try to balance your sources by including at least one source that disagrees with the rest of your sources. This will help to keep your audience engaged and make them think critically about the issue.