News is information about events, obtained at every moment and everywhere, conveyed quickly and accurately to the public. The news media are in a continuous competition to attract and hold the attention of the public, but there are some characteristics that are generally accepted, whether one works in the business or consumes it as a consumer.
Timeliness, drama, proximity, and narrative are some of the common characteristics that all news stories should have. They should inform the public of current events and developments both locally, nationally and internationally. It is important to keep people informed, as it is a democratic right.
It is also important for the news to be balanced. This can be done by reading multiple sources and examining different points of view. It can be difficult to do this, but it is important for the average person to try and do so. This could mean consuming news from a variety of media types such as television, radio, newspaper and online outlets. It could also mean looking for different points of view on the same topic from various writers or examining the same topic from a cultural perspective.
Writing a good news story is challenging, as it can be hard to find the right balance of information and tone. It is important to understand your audience, as this will dictate the voice and tone of the article. It is also important to place the most important information above the fold (the crease in the newspaper). This means that it will be seen by the majority of your readers, as it will be the first thing they see.