News has long existed before it was branded its specific name. Our ancestors disseminated new and oncoming information through oral tradition and over the years, it was developed into writing/print media.
“New” was the original English name, however, it was later on developed to its plural form “news” which is what we call it today. It also stands for (or maybe an acronym for) Notable Events, Weather, and Sports but I prefer it as a branch or an extension of journalism that allows the interaction of events, information, issues, and concerns (global, local, or national) possible to the people.
News is gathered, researched (for accuracy and factual information), and provided by journalists through TV broadcasting, radio broadcasting, newspapers, websites, and other sources of which the intended audiences are the people.
Although we can exist without having access to broadcasted news, newspaper, or any of the other sources, they cannot exist or even be possible without news for news is the backbone of journalism.
In order for news to be good, the content and structure must be accurate, interesting, and enlightening. Journalists need to follow 5 characteristics in writing and reporting because journalism is neither simple nor easy, it is a craft that speaks for the truth. The news report must possess the 5 following characteristics:
Fairness and Balance – The journalist must be fair and must possess a balance in providing news articles as this characteristic is an integral part of the journalism ethics and standards.
In gathering and providing information on a specific topic or media coverage, the parties involved must be given fair treatment without having any biases or one-sided favors and the journalist must provide just and balanced dissemination where the information is weighed out in order to avoid dilemmas and give accurate data.
It is also important that the journalist uses a neutral voice/tone when providing information for all parties involved and that “fairness” also pertains to having no ulterior motives other than providing accurate information.
Accuracy – This is the primary requirement of a good news report as it pertains to the factuality of the information. The journalist must be able to identify the truth and must provide truth to the public without including one’s own perspective but only relying on the information gathered.
There must also be no mix-up or inclusion of false or inaccurate data because not only is the reputation of those involved in the media coverage is involved but also the credibility of the journalist.
Brevity – A good news report is concise – it contains all the important information including its parts and sub-parts while being direct to the point. This is not automatically equivalent to writing a short story but it does contain the usage of short words, short sentences, and short paragraphs.
Brevity is the quality of being brief (especially since not all readers and listeners have plenty of time to spend reading/listening for long periods of media coverage) as it relates to time.
Clarity - The introduction of the report must be short, the body must be as few paragraphs as possible with each paragraph devoted to one point. Similar to brevity, clarity also possesses short paragraphs and simple words but it refers to the measure of being clear in thought and style.
There should be no ambiguities and the facts must be sourced and accurate thus irrelevant facts/sources must be out of the picture.
Since there are characteristics in making a good news report, there must also be a process. News contains 3 parts that journalists must follow in writing before delivering or publishing information. These three parts are the integral pieces that make up the article and what gives the journalist a clear cut of how the story or article is divided into parts.
Headline – The first part tells what the story or article is about. The headline is also called heading as it is what indicates the article’s nature and which grabs the attention of the readers/audience.
Lead – The second part which is the most important in the news as it tells the major facts and contains/provides answers to the 5W questions (what, when, where, why, who). This is the opening paragraph which serves the purpose of hooking the attention of the readers by giving them the expectation or introduction of the article.
Body – The third part is where the lead is given more elaboration and contains the sequencing of the logical events that are part of the article. The body provides all relevant information that will connect or suffice to the lead.
Journalism consists of different forms, styles, and genres as there are different types of journalistic writing, all of which are based on how an article or news story is written and depending on the area of focus, theme, purpose, and intended audience. Here are the types of news stories including the special types:
Hard News – This type of news story can be classified as spot news (on the spot or urgent reporting) or a breaking news story as it is the ongoing or up to date coverage of information or major news such as presidential debates, bank robbery, civilians held hostage and the like. It contains little to no comments or analysis but only immediately reports up-to-the-minute events that provide answers to the 5W questions: what, when, who, where, and why.
Soft News – This is also called “market-centered news” which was primarily intended for human interest, it later on expanded into personality-centered stories such as the lives of celebrities or specific individuals. Soft news is contrary to hard news as it is focused on topics or events that are lighthearted or not (too) serious.
News Reports - These are found at the front of a newspaper. They inform readers about things that are happening in the world or in the local area. They consist of facts such as names, dates, and places, as well as points of view, eg “Local opinion is still divided over plans to open a new shopping center.” Reports tend to have a more formal, neutral tone.
Feature articles - These explore the issues raised by news stories in more depth. For example, a report about young children left home alone could inspire a feature article on the difficulties of finding childcare providers in the local area. A feature article tends to be more opinionated and less formal than a report, often taking a personal point of view.
Editorials, columns, and opinion pieces - These are pieces by 'personality' writers, often celebrities in other fields. They might be there to inform (because the writer's expert opinion is valued), or they might be there to entertain (because the writer has a comic or interesting way of describing everyday life). Columnists develop a style of their own – for example, polemical or sarcastic. They create this style through vocabulary choices and rhetorical devices. They might use informal language to convey their idiolect. This individual style appeals to their audience.
Investigative – This is a form of journalism that relies and focuses on investigations, observations, and thorough research done by the journalists in gathering information. It may take months and even years to prepare this type of report and its topic is mostly about political agendas/affairs, crime, and corporate wrongdoings.
Preview Story – This is a story about oncoming events, activities such as concerts and art exhibits, speeches, and workshops. The goal of writing this type of journalistic writing is to provide key information to the readers on which they can give basis their decisions on whether or not they’d participate or attend.
News Brief – This is a collection of short stories or a single story presented in one or two paragraphs or less (a sentence or phrase.)
Sports News – This form of writing is a reportorial of matters or events pertaining to sports, athletes, and competitions in the local, national or global sphere.
Entertainment – This focuses on the interest of people such as the coverage of popular culture, celebrities, businesses and products, and the entertainment industry in general. This is to entertain the people and to keep them updated with the current events of famous people, important individuals and the like.
