News is a piece of information that is important to your audience. It can be anything from a breaking story to an opinion piece. News is supposed to keep you updated and informed with factual details about what’s happening in the world around you.
To determine what’s newsworthy, you need to consider the intrinsic news value of an event or development. This is determined by the public’s interest, as well as social, political and economical factors that affect how the event is perceived. For example, if a barn wall collapses killing a cow and a pig, the reaction to the news will differ between societies, depending on the relative significance of these animals to their inhabitants.
Once you’ve determined what the news is, research it thoroughly. Start by answering the five W’s: who, what, where, when and why. This will give you a clear understanding of the event and the background knowledge needed to write a compelling article.
Once you’ve done the research, determine what the story is about and who your audience is. You can narrow down your audience based on location, but it’s also possible to focus on a specific demographic if you’re writing for a local paper or website. You’ll also need to decide how much detail you want to include and if you’re going to include personal opinions or bias. Finally, you’ll need to create a snappy headline that informs readers about the topic while capturing their interest.