News is information about events which affect or influence the lives of people. It can include things such as weather, natural disasters, wars, crime or major business news. It can also be about celebrities, politicians or other public figures, or events which take place in different places around the world.
The most important factor in deciding what is newsworthy is whether it affects the lives of the majority of people. Events which are new and unusual may be of interest to specialists or enthusiasts, but they won’t make the news if they don’t have any impact on the general public. For example, scientists may report that an insect has been found living on a plant it did not previously inhabit; this is interesting, but it is unlikely to have any significant effect on the lives of most people.
Events which affect the health and well-being of individuals are always likely to be newsworthy, as are stories about traditional remedies, medical research, hospitals and clinics, diseases, diet and exercise. Sex is another topic which is always of interest, especially when it involves behaviour outside society’s generally accepted standards.
Whenever possible, it is good practice to let the subjects of the news do the talking themselves. This avoids the reporter putting their own bias into the story and it allows the reader to form their own opinion of what is being reported. It is also a good way to increase readers’ understanding of the subject and to remember key points.