News is a summary of information about events that are current and significant. It aims to provide readers with factual information objectively and concisely, while adhering to journalistic principles.
A story is considered to be newsworthy if it meets one or more of the following criteria:
Crime: people are interested in criminal activity, especially when it affects them personally. The more serious the crime, the more interest is generated.
Money: people are interested in how much money others have and how it is made. They are also interested in economic issues such as business successes and failures, the budget, taxes, food prices, wage rises and compensation claims.
Environment: a disaster which has a significant impact on the natural world, such as an earthquake or wildfire, is newsworthy. People are also interested in the effects of pollution on the environment and in animal cruelty.
People are interested in events which challenge their existing views and beliefs. This is particularly true when the beliefs or views are those of a person who is influential in society.
Different societies have different interests in what is newsworthy. For example, a scientist’s discovery that an insect lives on a plant it has never before lived on might be interesting to a specialist magazine but would not generate much interest in a general newspaper or broadcast. If, however, the insect is one which could cause great harm to the world’s food supply, then it may become a major piece of news.