The Importance of Good Journalism
News is information about events that have happened or will happen in the world. It can be a major political event, an accident or disaster, a sports result, or something that has happened in a local community. The news is reported in newspapers, magazines and on TV or radio. The Internet is also a source of news.
People want to be informed about what is happening in their communities, countries and the world. Often there is too much information and it can be difficult to decide what is important. This is why good journalism is so important. It is the only way to make sure that the right information reaches the people who need it.
A news article needs to be factual but it should also be interesting and entertaining. The more a news story engages the reader, the more people will read it and share it. The main reason is that it will give them a feeling of involvement and belonging to a group or community. There are five main elements that a news story should have to be considered a good one: newness, unusualness, importance, interest and people.
It is the people aspect that makes a news story really stand out. This could be the people involved in the event, the impact of the event on them or their feelings about it. It may be the role played by famous or well-known people in the event or the reaction to it by the public. The significance of the event is also very important. If the event has wide implications for many people then it will be important news. Finally, a news story should be about something that has happened recently and is still happening.
The things that happen are usually the same everywhere, but they are interpreted differently. This is why some events are very important in one place but not so in another. For example, a coup in the country next door may be an important event but it may not seem as significant in your own country. If a farm wall collapses, killing cows and pigs, this will be very big news in the country where they are reared for meat but probably not so big in your own country where they are mostly used for milk.
A journalist should be impartial when writing a news story. This is especially important if they are writing for a newspaper or television station where there is competition. A biased news article will not be read or listened to and will not get the attention it deserves.
The writer of a news story should try to get quotes from the people involved in the event as this will add interest and credibility. They should also be careful not to include their own opinions in the piece unless it is necessary for the story to be accurate. A good way to check this is to look at the way reputable news outlets delineate between news and opinion pieces.