News is information about current events and affairs. It may be about politics, business, sports, health or other topics. Most people agree that the job of the news media – newspapers, radio and television – is to inform and educate their readers, listeners or viewers. It is not their job to entertain – entertainment comes from other areas such as music and drama on radio or TV, and crosswords and puzzles in newspapers.

One of the main things that makes something newsworthy is that it is new. People are interested in things that have recently happened, and large media sources tend to focus on the most recent events, as they will be of most interest to their audiences.

Other factors that can make an event newsworthy include how interesting or unusual it is, and how important it is to society as a whole. For example, a murder is more likely to be newsworthy than a simple traffic accident.

The way an event is reported also affects its newsworthiness. For instance, a news report about the death of an ex-president will be more important than a report about a football game. The level of detail in a story can also be important. For example, a simple game report might only need to include the score and the result, while an in-depth piece on a political crisis might be required to fully inform and educate readers.

A good journalist is able to discern the facts that are most important for an article and decide how to present them. They should not bury important information in irrelevant details, and should avoid sensationalism or bias. For example, a football score might be enough to tell the basic facts about a game, but an in-depth report might need to include quotes from the coach, the players and the fans in order to provide context for the results.

In addition to the elements mentioned above, a news story should be well written. Readers are often time poor, and if they are confronted with an article that is difficult to read or understand they will probably stop reading it. A good journalist will keep this in mind and try to write concisely, removing any details that do not impact the overall outcome of the article.

When writing a news article it is important to start with a strong lead, which is the first paragraph of the article that sums up all the relevant information. This is especially true for online publications, where it is essential that a story appears high up on the screen or browser tab in order to engage the audience and encourage them to continue reading.

In general, the best news stories are those that are easy to read and digest. This means that the writer should not use complicated language or long tangents, as this will only confuse and bore the reader. In many cases, it is helpful to read the draft of a news article out loud in order to check for correct grammar and sentence structure, and to ensure that all relevant points are included.