How to Write Newsworthy Stories
News is current information about events that are important to a community. It can be presented in many forms including newspapers, television, radio and the internet. News relates to politics, war, crime, education, science, health, business, art and entertainment. It can also cover the weather, natural disasters and local events.
People have transported news since ancient times using verbal means, but the development of paper in China and the printing press in Europe enabled written news to be mass produced. In the 20th century, radio and television became important ways of reporting news.
Writing a good news story requires a lot of research and writing skills. A reporter has to know their subject very well in order to be able to write accurate and interesting articles. The first step is to find out what the big issues are at the moment in a society. It may sound obvious, but the biggest issue will usually be the one which affects the greatest number of people.
Another consideration is what is unusual. The classic definition of news is that it is something which is new, unusual, interesting or significant. But it is not always easy to decide whether a particular event fits those criteria. A man biting a dog, for example, is not newsworthy if dogs are regularly eaten in the society (it would be more newsworthy if a man ate a cat).
It is also necessary to consider how important an issue is. It is not news if an event happens every day, but it can be news when it happens to a famous person or to someone who is in a position of authority.
A person who is the victim of a crime, especially a violent or dangerous one, is likely to be newsworthy. The same is true if the victim is a member of a political party, religious movement or sporting team. It can also be newsworthy if the incident is related to terrorism or if it has an impact on foreign affairs.
In addition to the main points, it is important to include a byline and a title which is catchy and easy to read. A strong news story will contain few adjectives and jargon, and should be clearly understood by all readers, regardless of educational level or social background.
Generally speaking, stories which are important and/or controversial make the best news. These include government proclamations, royal ceremonies and laws. They can also relate to espionage and other intelligence services. People are also interested in stories about other nations and their leaders, particularly when there is a change of regime or if a country is at war. Other newsworthy events are economic, such as wage rises, interest rates, food prices and the budget. Finally, all societies are interested in sex, and especially when it involves behaviour which is outside the usual range of acceptability.