News is information about current events that are of interest to the public. News is often reported by newspapers, but it can also be found in magazines, television, radio and the Internet. News may be a local, national or international matter and can cover any topic of interest to the community. It could be a report of an accident, crime or disaster; it could be a story about a politician or celebrity; or it could be about an important development in the community.
A good news article will contain a lot of facts about the subject being discussed. It will include a lead, which is the first paragraph that introduces the story and provides a summary of its main points. The lead should be brief and catchy, and it is often written by a different member of staff from the main body of the article.
The lead should state the most important information about the story and include a quotation from a source to add credibility. This is often followed by the names of people involved, as well as dates and times. It is also helpful to provide additional background information about the subject if it is relevant.
News stories are often based on judgment calls about what is important and what is not. For example, an insect has been discovered living on a plant it has not previously lived on, but this would only be newsworthy in a specialist publication or if it had a dramatic impact on human life.