News is information about current events that occur in local communities, nations or internationally. It keeps people updated on what is happening and alerts them of any developments or issues that could affect them directly or indirectly. News also educates the public by letting them know about various topics, such as politics, science, economics and culture.

It is important to understand that the main job of news media – newspapers, magazines and radio – is to inform. It is not to entertain or amuse its audience. That type of entertainment comes from other areas – music and drama on radio; crosswords and cartoons in newspapers.

One of the best ways to write a good News article is to know your audience. This will dictate what kind of information you include in your story. You should avoid jargon and use terminology that is familiar to your audience. If you do use jargon, make sure that it is explained to the reader at the very beginning of the piece. It is also important to follow up your main facts with additional information. This can be in the form of quotes, background information or statistics.

If something happens that is very unusual, interesting or significant, then it is likely to be newsworthy. This is known as the “news value” of a story. The stronger this is, the more likely it is to be featured in a newspaper, for example above the fold (the crease on a page of a paper or the top part of an online article). It can also help to consider whether an event has a direct impact on your readers.