News is something that happens in the world around us and can affect our lives. It can be current or historical and can include information about war, government, health, education, the environment, business and sport. It is also about people and their actions and reactions. News is often about events that are significant and unusual, or that have a great impact on people. These things can be either positive or negative and can include war, crime, natural disasters, accidents or the death of someone important. It is the impact on people which makes news interesting, and it is this that a newspaper or radio station tries to convey to its audience.
A good headline will catch the reader’s attention and be short and to the point. It is usually written by the person who writes the news and may be edited before publication. The headline should be informative, arouse interest or curiosity and create an emotional response. It should include all the basic facts of the news and a byline (name of writer) unless otherwise specified.
The lead paragraph is the beginning of the article and should follow the inverted pyramid style where the most important facts are put first and each subsequent paragraph provides less details. This will allow the reader to skim through the most important points and will enable them to decide whether they want to read the whole article.
People are interested in things that are unusual or significant and will pay attention to newspapers, radio and television to find out what is happening in the world around them. People are also interested in stories that are close to home, particularly if they involve violence or scandal.