Characteristics of News.

By Muhammmad Ibrahim Abbasi

Topic:: Characteristics of News

   News

· News is information that is published in newspaper and broadcast on radio and television about recent events in country or world or in a particular area activity.

· News is information about recently changed situation or recent event.

  Characteristics of News

All news stories possess certain characteristics or news values. Traditionally, journalist have said that newsworthy events are those that possess.

Just as cotton can be used in making heavy clothes and human activity can be used for rendering poems, writing short stories or news. A journalist decides as to what use he is going to make of the raw material available. A newscaster can use his material for sociological exposition, propaganda highlight even the human activities. News conforms to set the news style and pattern which has been developed over a period of years.

The major characteristics of News are.

    Accuracy

· A media organization will be judged on the accuracy and reliability of its journalism, which must be well sourced, supported by strong evidence, examined and tested, clear and unambiguous. Verified facts must form the basis of all news, not rumor and speculation.

· The accuracy of news is in fact taken for granted by the news consumer.

· Accuracy is at the heart of what we do. It is our job to get it first but it is above all our job to get it right. Accuracy as well as balance, always takes precedence over speed.

   Balance

· Balance in journalism is considered one of the most important characteristics of any news piece.

· Balance means lack of bias ,and it is the ethical imperative of a journalist to transmit the news in an impartial manner.

This means that a reporter should, whenever possible, demonstrate opposing viewpoint at play in a story dynamic; it is important to note that there are often more than two sides to any story.

Objectivity

· Objectivity means that when that covering hard news reporters don’t convey their own feelings, basics or prejudice in their stories, they accomplish this by writing stories using a language that is neutral and avoids characterizing people or institutions in ways good or bad.

Objectivity called for journalist for develop a consistent method of testing information a transparent approach to evidence precisely so that personal and cultural biases would not undermine the accuracy of their words.                    

   Concise and Clear

· This is not easy to achieve. You are required to report an event in as few words as possible. You can do this if you use short and simple words and keep out irrelevant facts. The intro of your report must be short and crisp. The body must be made up of as possible with each paragraph devoted to one point.

· There should be no ambiguities . The facts must be sourced and accurate.

· Writers need to keep their reader’s attention. Writing clearly and concisely is one way to capture and retain interest. Rambling on conversely, may lose your reader’s attention.

    Current

· The definition of news remains incomplete if element of time is not given major consideration. Time is the essence of the news .

· Emphasis is on the time element of the news story this is necessary because of the changes which may occur in the transitory period.

· Things are always changing and the news consumers want the most recent information on subject of concerns or interest to them.

· Most news are labeled today or at the most distant last night.