Basics of Writing News Articles
News is an unpublished account of human action, which seeks to enlighten, inform, or entertain the readers. The first necessity of news is that it ought not to have already been published elsewhere before. For this reason, news is not published as a single column or page per news story. It should come as a fresh account to the reader. It’s also important that the newspaper is reputed enough to merit being accepted for printing news.
News is not only about the latest development in public life. In fact, it has evolved into an outstanding medium of communication, as well as a popular mode of information dissemination among communities and individuals. News serves as a vital vehicle for conveying important and pertinent information to masses. News helps people evaluate the current condition of the nation and assess their individual and government responsibilities. All this contributes to a better understanding of political, social and economic situations of the nation.
News also plays a vital role of popularizing issues of public concern, making public opinion active and vocal. News is made known to people through various print media including newspapers and magazines, television, radios, news wires and the Internet. Television, radio, newspapers, magazines, web sites and online resources make news readily available to viewers and readers. News is disseminated through several other media as well, including films and videos. All these make news an in-depth and detailed medium of communication.
News is also informal means of expressing public opinion. The appeal of newspapers and magazines is broad. News represents a unique set of objects and events for publication. They are unique in their appeal because they provide information that is not immediately accessible to readers and listeners. News makes unusual statements and provides information that readers may find difficult to obtain from other sources.
In short, news article writing serves to inform and entertain readers and listeners, rather than provide information that is of interest only to experts or officials. News anchors, reporters and photographers strive to remain objective and provide fair and balanced reporting. But, they must always remember that they are always a source of information for the general public. Their reporting must be based on current events and trends, but should be embellished only to make them more newsworthy information.
The news is the most trusted and relied upon source of information throughout the world. It is used daily by millions of people and influences their thinking and actions. At any given time, most people can be found glued to some form of TV or radio news. It is this wide reach that makes the news article writing industry so lucrative and challenging. Whether writing for a newspaper, magazine, radio or cable news network, a news article writer must maintain a professional standard to ensure consistency with the high standards of the industry.