News is information that affects the public. It can be broadcast on television or radio, printed in newspapers or books, posted online or yelled across the classroom. It could be about anything from world events to a fire in your town. Regardless of how it is delivered, News should be interesting and accurate.
It is important for students to understand how journalists decide what is newsworthy. They must know how to identify the most important elements of a story, gather and organize that information efficiently, place it in a context and write concisely and compellingly—all at breakneck speed. The readings, discussions and assignments in this course are designed to help students develop these skills.
A news article is usually based on an event that is new or unusual and affects the general population in some way. This includes natural disasters and human tragedies, as well as political and military conflicts. It is also common to see stories about sports, health and wellness, and entertainment.
In order to be considered newsworthy, an event must have at least one of these elements:
What is important about a story will vary from society to society, however. For example, if your society eats both cows and pigs, then the death of one or the other may not be newsworthy. However, if the death of a cow or pig is an unusual occurrence, it may be newsworthy. Also, if the death of an animal is a result of man-made activities, it could be a newsworthy story.