News is information about current events that has been obtained quickly and accurately, presented in an objective way, and made available to the public. It also provides background information to help readers understand the significance of the event or development they are reading about.
When deciding whether something is newsworthy, journalists consider the following elements:
A story that meets all five criteria is likely to be a good one. However, it is important to note that what is significant can differ from society to society. For example, a coup in the country next door might be a big story for some but not a big one for others.
People want to read about unusual and interesting things that are happening. Ordinary and everyday things do not make the news. For example, a man waking up and going to work on the bus does not make the news unless something unusual happens such as the bus being stolen or someone dies on the ride.
A good news article starts with a strong lead that grabs the reader. The lead is followed by the rest of the details, often in a hierarchy of importance. It is crucial to provide all the relevant information without going off on tangents or including irrelevant facts. The article should conclude with a statement indicating potential future developments that are related to the topic of the news. Lastly, the journalist should indicate where the information was obtained from (for example, an interview, court documents, a government Web site). This is called sourcing.