News carries messages to the public and can influence it in positive or negative ways. It spreads communalism and nationalism on the one hand and can also be a tool for development on the other. It can influence people’s thinking, thereby changing the political climate.
How to write a news article
In newspapers, magazines and radio stations, news is delivered in different formats and styles. It is the writer’s job to choose the format and style that best suits his/her publication, audience, theme or point of view.
The aim is to put information before the reader in a way that will interest him/her, enlighten him/her and entertain him/her. The news should be brief, clearly, picturesquely and accurately written so that the reader/listener/viewer can grasp the message.
It should be backed up by credible sources that have been vetted by the writer. The journalist should not have any personal or political bias in the reporting of the news; he/she should be fair to both sides.
There is no single set of news values, but there are certain elements that can be considered to make a story newsworthy and which have been found by some researchers to have a particular impact. These are: