News is information about current events which can be shared via a variety of different channels including word of mouth, printing, postal systems, broadcasting and electronic communication. There are many types of News and it is important that the right balance is struck between providing useful and interesting information and avoiding sensationalism or ‘twisting the truth’.

In order to make a story newsworthy it should be new, interesting or unusual and have an impact on people’s lives. It is also important that the story should be factual, avoiding any opinions or judgements. It is often best to interview sources and give a fair and balanced account of events.

The deciding factors in what is News may differ between societies, but there are some general rules which apply. For example, a crime story will be of more interest to the general public than one which is not as serious. The same applies to the weather, the discovery of a new plant or animal (although these might be more interesting to scientists) or the price of food or petrol.

It is also vital that the News article contains all of the relevant facts in the correct order. It is usually advisable to put the most important information in the lead and to follow it with supporting details in chronological order. This ensures that readers who do not continue to the end of a piece will have received the key points of the story.