News is information about events that have happened or are happening. It can also refer to current affairs/events that affect a large population such as the Olympics, a natural disaster or political developments.
A good news article needs to grab readers and hold them. This is often achieved with a dramatic anecdote, a surprising fact or a breaking news update. A nut graph should then explain the story, letting readers know what it is about and why they should care. This can be a paragraph or more and should answer the who, what, when, where and why questions.
People are interested in things that have a significant impact on their lives, such as weather, disease, hospital and clinic closures or food shortages. They are also interested in what prominent people are doing and what they look like. They are often more interested in people who are famous or wealthy than those who are not, and are especially intrigued by scandals. People are also interested in sex, even though they may not openly discuss it.
Regardless of the forum in which you are writing a news article, it is important to keep paragraphs short for clarity and readability. If you are using quotations, use them sparingly to avoid distracting the reader. When quoting, always use a person’s full first name and both initials to prevent confusion or misinterpretation. It is generally preferred to write in the third person, although this can vary depending on the context and the style used by your publication.