News is information on current events that affect a wide population. It is typically reported in local newspapers, but may also be featured on television and online media. News articles need to contain the most recent facts and quotes, and they should not include the reporter’s opinions. Writers should also be aware that their articles will need to follow the inverted pyramid structure and place the most important information at the top of the article.
News has a wide variety of purposes, including entertainment/diversion, evoking emotion, and updating one’s knowledge. Participants in a study on the uses of news reported that they use news for these reasons, as well as for surveillance and to feel connected to others (Domingo, 2019).
News stories are generally focused on people and their actions, or by non-human forces like natural disasters, wars or cyclones. It is difficult to determine what makes newsworthy as there are so many events occurring in the world. A model of news making identifies factors that influence newsworthiness, such as impact, incorporating violence and scandal, being local and familiar, and being timely. Journalists must make judgments about which events to report and how much detail to provide. They must also decide how to present the information in an accessible and interesting way to readers. Students should find an example of a news story that incorporates data and consider whether the presentation is effective or confusing, how much detail is provided and if it answers the “what, when, who, where and why” questions. They will then write a short memo about the article and bring it to class.