News is the story of events that affect people. Those events might be about war, political change, government action or inaction, natural disasters, economic issues, celebrity gossip, and so on. The most important elements in a good News story are that it is new, interesting or significant, and that it is about people.
The first paragraph of a News article should grab the reader’s attention in some way, such as by stating a dramatic anecdote or describing a surprising fact about the topic. This paragraph is often referred to as the “lede.” The next paragraph, sometimes called the “nut graph,” provides further details about what’s established in the lead and answers the basic questions of who, what, when, where and why. A nut graph also places the new developments into a broader context of similar events or past events.
The final paragraph, sometimes called the “reveal,” provides additional information about the event or issue and, if appropriate, offers some insight into why it is important. A reveal can also be an opportunity for a reporter to show his or her own perspective on the event. News stories often include quotes from witnesses, officials and experts. Choosing reliable sources is crucial; reading a variety of different sources and using a news aggregator website can help to ensure that you are getting a wide range of perspectives. A well-reported News story should be objective and balanced. However, it is often difficult to report objectively when a topic is highly emotional or when the outcome of an event has already been determined by an outside party.