News is information about events, activities or issues that are of interest to the public. News stories may also offer insights into a culture, place or time period. News articles should be factual, but they should also be interesting. Many people read news on a range of devices, from mobile phones to televisions. This can lead to fragmentation of the news experience, and it is important that writers understand their audience so that they can craft articles to suit.

A key factor in determining whether something will be considered newsworthy is its magnitude. This is partly because of the impact that an event or story might have, but it also reflects the relative importance of an issue in a society. For example, if a farm wall collapses killing a cow but leaving a pig unharmed, this will be of more interest to the general public than a fatal crash on the motorway that kills ten people.

Similarly, a story that is perceived to have the potential to generate sharing and comment on social media will be of more interest than one that does not. The extent to which this is true needs further empirical research.

When writing a news article, it is important to keep in mind that the first paragraph (the headline) should be short and snappy. This is to ensure that the information in the article is as concise as possible while seizing the readers’ attention. It is also a good idea to consider your readership and publication when drafting the headline. A well written headline that uses Associated Press style guidelines (or the guidelines of your particular publication) will help to keep the information as brief as possible while still being engaging.