News is current information about events and happenings in the world. It keeps the public informed about local, national and international issues. It also serves as a watchdog by reporting on corruption and other wrongdoing. News can also provide analysis and interpretation of events and issues, giving the audience a deeper understanding of complex topics.

A news story should start with an exciting and catchy headline to draw in the reader. This is called a lede in journalism jargon and is important because it will determine whether the reader continues to read the article. The lead should contain the most important information (who, what, where, when and why) and be concise enough to be understood in just a few lines. Ideally, the lead should include the main points of the story, allowing the reader to decide whether or not to read the full article.

The lead should also contain the name of the author and their byline, which can help to distinguish the journalist’s viewpoint from that of other writers. The writer’s name should be placed at the top of the article, just below the title, and may even appear in bold type if there is a question about their reliability as a source. A good writer will never insert their opinion into a news article; however, they will use quotations from sources to back up their claims.

People are interested in different things, but the following areas usually make up a significant proportion of news:

Controversy: People love controversies and are eager to hear about them, especially when they involve prominent people or when charges and counter-charges are made against those in power. Money: People are interested in stories about wealth, especially when they relate to how a person got their money, how they spend it and what they have acquired or lost.

Health: People are interested in stories about traditional remedies, medical research, diseases, hospitals and clinics. They are also interested in how to stay healthy and fit. Sex: All societies are interested in sex, even though it is not something that is often talked about openly. It is often the unusual aspects of sex that make it newsworthy, for example, a sex crime that goes against society’s generally accepted standards.

A good story should meet the five criteria of being new, unusual, interesting, significant and about people. It should also be factual and not just opinion. It should also have a strong human angle, which is why interviews with the principal participants are so important. Finally, it should be relevant – it must be about an event that will affect the lives of people in some way. For example, an assassination in another country is not a big news story, but the results of an election are. However, if a coup d’etat is attempted in your home country, this is a huge news story. This is because it will have a direct impact on the lives of your readers or listeners.