How to Write a Good News Article
News is information about events that affect the public. It can be anything from a major political scandal to a minor sporting event. It’s important to stay up-to-date with current news, as it can influence how we live our lives. For example, if your local government is making decisions that could impact you and your family, it’s important to know about it.
A good news article will start with a catchy lead – the headline – which is typically based on a dramatic anecdote, a surprising fact or an important breaking news update. This will grab readers’ attention and encourage them to read on. A good headline will also include a summary of the story and why readers should care. This is known as the “nut graph” and is often a key element in whether an article gets shared on social media or not.
Next, the news article should provide in-depth coverage on the main points of the story, focusing on the answers to the 5 Ws: who, what, when, where and why. This should also place the news in context, explaining why it’s timely and relevant. It’s often helpful to add background information in the form of quotes or industry opinions. This can help give the reader a more comprehensive understanding of the news and increase their trust in you as the writer.
The final step is to make sure that the facts are correct and that there’s no bias present. This is the responsibility of the writer, although a sub-editor can be useful in catching typos and picking up grammatical errors. It’s also important to cite any sources used in the article, as this is vital for conducting research and adding credibility to your work.
There are many different sources of news, from newspapers and magazines to websites and broadcasts. Some sources specialise in certain topics, such as climate change or terrorism, while others focus on specific geographical areas or time periods. For example, a newspaper may publish articles about the history of a city or region, while a website might cover news from around the world in real-time. In addition, there are aggregators that collect news from various sources and publish it online. Examples of aggregators are Google News and Yahoo News.