News is information about a change in situation or an event that has recently happened. It can also be information about something that has not yet happened, but is expected to happen in the future. News stories can include many different types of events, from political and environmental to sports and celebrity. They can be current or historical, and may be positive or negative. They are typically short and to the point, written in a formal style with factual content. They often contain quotes from experts or other sources and may include a photo or graphic. News articles are usually written for a general audience, though they may be targeted to specific groups or communities.
Generally, to be considered newsworthy an event must be significant either in number of people involved or its impact. It must also be unusual. For example, if it is common for people in a particular society to be married at an older age, then it is not likely that such a thing would make the news. But if it is a rare occurrence, then it may be newsworthy.
The news is also influenced by who initiates it. In a study of six major news stories, the majority were initiated by government officials, followed by the police. This may be due to the fact that government agencies are able to access information more quickly and easily than the media. The press and interest group figures were behind the rest of the stories.
As the world becomes increasingly digitized, a number of new sources of news have emerged. These may be online aggregators, new social media sites or local outlets. While these new sources are not necessarily free of bias, they can offer a greater range of perspectives than the traditional news media, and can be helpful in finding out what is really happening.
While the definition of what makes a good news story varies from one source to the next, some guidelines are clear and well-established. News should be short so that it can be read in a busy environment, clear and concise so that it can be understood by the reader, picturesque so that it will catch the reader’s attention, and accurate so that it can be believed. It is also important to consider the intended audience when writing news, as it will affect how the article is presented and what details are included.
While it is easy to get sucked into the vortex of bias, many sources do strive to provide consistent, reliable, verifiable and documented information. Several websites exist that identify these sources and help readers understand the nature of bias in order to avoid it. Some of these resources are scholarly and others are practical advice given by experienced journalists. Regardless, it is important to be aware of bias and to seek out alternative viewpoints when possible. Often, the only way to find truth is through multiple sources. This article was created for the News Archive of the wikiHow Community.