News is information about current affairs/events that affect the lives of readers, listeners or viewers. It is usually reported in newspapers, magazines and radio but can also be published online. News is often factual and aims to inform, educate and sometimes entertain. However, entertainment may come from other sources such as music and drama programmes on the radio or crosswords in newspapers.

To become newsworthy, an event must be new or unusual and have the potential to interest a large number of people. It must also incorporate a level of violence or scandal. News stories are also judged on their timeliness; it is inherently less interesting to read about events that have already taken place, even if they are significant.

As well as the above criteria, an important consideration is the impact of a story on society. This can be a major factor in decisions made by the media to publish a particular news item. However, determining the impact of an event on society is difficult and opinions differ widely. For example, a farm wall collapses killing both a cow and a pig – this will have different levels of importance in different societies.

The selection of which events are to be covered is determined by a combination of factors including market research (to ensure the news appeals to as wide an audience as possible) and editorial judgment. Journalists are trained to follow a set of judgment guidelines to help them determine which facts should be emphasized in their coverage and which ones are not. Some commentators argue that journalists deliver the news that they are told to in response to market research; however, this is not necessarily true.

When writing a news article it is important not to inject your own personal opinion, as this can detract from the credibility of the piece. Instead, use quotations from those involved in the news story to add authenticity and allow them to do the talking for you. It is also a good idea to include the full name of any persons quoted, as this will make them seem more authoritative and trustworthy. Finally, a news article should be accurate at all times and provide reference links to back up any claims or statistics. This is particularly important in the age of social media where inaccurate posts can quickly go viral and be spread worldwide.