News is broadcast or published information, often of a significant nature. It usually consists of events occurring within the recent past, though older news may also be reported. It is generally current and covers such subjects as politics, war, crime, government, education, economics, fashion, religion and sport. News is widely available through all media channels – print publications, television, radio and the internet – and can be found in many languages.
A story which is new, unusual, interesting, significant and about people will make a good piece of news. There are a number of other criteria which may be used to judge whether a story is newsworthy, such as the impact of the news on the reader. For example, a coup d’etat in a neighbouring country is likely to have more impact than the same coup in a distant country. Money stories are also newsworthy, such as fortunes made and lost, robberies, corruption, bribery, compensation claims and other financial scandals. People are always interested in other people, and their lives, so celebrity news makes for great news – what celebrities do, who they meet with, and any problems they face. Sex is another subject of interest, particularly when it involves behaviour which is either unusual or goes against society’s generally accepted norms.
It is important to remember that the main purpose of news is to inform your readers, listeners or viewers. Entertainment comes from other areas – music and drama on television or radio, cartoons and crosswords in newspapers.