News is something that happens in the world, that affects people or that changes something. It is usually about people but can also be about non-human sources such as a cyclone, bush fire or drought.
News can be read in newspapers or magazines, seen on television, heard on radio and found on the Internet. It is an important part of our lives and often a vital source of information.
The decision about what is considered news is made by editors and news directors within a newspaper, TV news station or news organization. This is done to ensure that the information being published is objective, fair and unbiased.
Journalists cross check all the information they find and make sure that the story is correct before it is printed in a newspaper or magazine. They will not print a story if it is inaccurate or does not have enough facts.
Journalism can be a highly competitive industry, with many different media outlets competing to produce stories and deliver them to their readers. This can sometimes lead to confusion and misunderstandings amongst readers.
To be an effective journalist you need to know what makes news and how to report it effectively. This means that you need to be aware of the key differences between newspapers, magazines, TV news stations and the Internet.
You need to know what constitutes good and bad news, how to write a headline that grabs a reader’s attention and how to follow up on a story that has already been reported. You will need to know how to cite reliable sources when you are writing your news article and how to interview the people who have been involved in a particular event to ensure that you provide accurate, credible and factual information.
In a world where the media and communications technology have changed so much, there is no longer a clear set of scholarly explanations for what makes news; however, Brighton and Foy (2007) point out that there are still some important factors to consider when assessing the value of a news story. These include Relevance, Topicality, Composition, Expectation and Unusualness.