News is information about current events that is delivered via a variety of media. These can include newspapers, radio and television, but also the Internet. News is primarily about facts and figures, but can also provide entertainment or create curiosity. It may also be a form of social connection, or even provide a way to connect to celebrities or to other important people. News can also be used to educate people, and can help them understand and make decisions.
News stories often start with a headline which must grab the reader’s attention and arouse their interest. This can be achieved by being catchy, evoking emotion or arousing curiosity. The main news article itself is then written from the bottom down, with the most important information first and then less important details given in later paragraphs.
The information in a news story must be sourced properly to be credible. This can be done by stating where the reporter got the information, either directly or indirectly. Direct quotes and paraphrasing can be used to attribute information from sources such as interviews, court documents, the census, etc.
The most important point to remember when writing a news story is that it needs to be current. It is not enough to report on an event that happened a week ago – the community has already moved on to something else. In the case of a breaking news story, it is crucial to get the story to the public before anyone else does.