News is an extremely brief form of information, published just moments after an event occurs. This makes it an ideal form of reporting current events. It is one of the earliest stages in the Information Lifecycle. This cycle is divided into several components: publication formats, historical and cultural perspectives, time periods, current events, and scholarly sources.
Reporting current events
Reporting current events may involve using short extracts from news articles or media reports. These extracts should be relevant to the current event and must be distinguishable from the rest of the statement or report. The author’s name and source should also be credited. These extracts may not be paid for. Reporting current events requires careful consideration of copyright laws and use of copyright materials.
The term “current event” includes current occurrences that have occurred recently, but can include events that happened years or decades ago. For example, a meeting between politicians years ago might influence future voting behavior. In this case, reporting current events may be a legitimate exception. However, this exception only applies to news that is intended for public consumption. Reports intended to target a specific group of people cannot be considered current events.
Identifying newsworthy stories
Newsworthy stories can be categorized according to their relevance, timeliness, and audience. A story about an earthquake in California, for example, is less newsworthy than one about a shoe being thrown at the president of the United States. In a 24-hour news cycle, the most important factor is timing. Stories that have just happened or are a topic that can be easily summarized are most likely to be the first to be covered. Stories that are more likely to garner attention include those involving tragedy or conflict. Editors consider stories with a negative spin more newsworthy than positive ones.
Another factor to consider when looking for newsworthy stories is the human interest angle. Most of us are interested in the lives of other people, and a story with a strong human interest angle will likely be newsworthy. While news stories often focus on events as the actions of named people, sometimes they are the result of societal forces. Even something as mundane as a well-attended marathon will attract news coverage, but a story about a disabled person completing the race will get even more attention.
Characteristics of good news stories
A good news story must be compelling, timely, interesting and significant. It must also be well-reported. Good stories have impact – people want to know about something that has changed the world. They must also contain sufficient detail, be brief and focused. Good news stories should begin with a clear headline and byline that show who wrote the story. Then, they must be followed by the body of the story, which contains more details. And finally, the ending should leave readers with something to think about.
Despite the importance of human interest, stories with powerful people tend to attract more attention than stories about ordinary people. For example, a story about a famous person having an affair will likely receive more attention than a story about a hapless farmer from Nebraska. A similar pattern holds true with stories about national disasters, which attract a greater amount of attention. In contrast, a story about a lowly farmer in the deep South will probably not make the front page, while an account of an up-and-coming politician in the Midwest or the West will be considered less newsworthy.
Finding reliable sources
It is important to find reliable sources for news. Using library databases and critical thinking skills is essential in ensuring the accuracy of news reports. You can also use the CRAAP test to check the credibility of online sources. This test evaluates news for its relevance, credibility, and content validity. A few tips for finding reliable sources for news are listed below.
First, you should avoid biased sources. Often, news articles are written by people who have political agendas. It is always best to check out a variety of news sources and question any news story that does not appear on all websites.