News is about current events that have the potential to affect people’s lives. It informs people of what is going on in the world, whether it is a new virus that is spreading rapidly or how local elected officials are handling issues that impact residents of the community.
It also keeps people up to date on current events that affect their daily routines, such as weather conditions or how much food is in the grocery stores. People also want to be informed about what is happening in the world of entertainment; whether it is a major art museum revealing that one of its paintings was a forgery, or new music being released by popular artists.
To determine what is newsworthy, reporters look at a variety of factors. These include the importance of the event, proximity, controversy, and prominence. They also consider whether it has been shared and discussed on social media.
Once they have a general idea of what is to be included in their story, reporters will research their topic extensively. They will use both primary sources and secondary sources. Primary sources are those that come directly from the subject of their story, such as talking to a firefighter who saved a cat from a burning building or interviewing the owners of a pet store that is closing. Secondary sources are pieces that have already been written about the event.
Once the research is done, writers will have a good understanding of what to include in their story and will begin outlining. A common outline is the upside-down pyramid format. Using this outline will help them keep focused on the most important points and avoid getting bogged down with details that are not necessary for the story.