News writing
The 5Ws of journalism
The opening paragraph of a news report is the most important. It contains the
key information and most recent facts about the story. The opening should
answer the following questions, known as the 5Ws of journalism:
• Who is the story about?
• What happened?
• Where did the story happen?
• When did the story take place?
• Why did it happen?
News reports are different from chronological narratives (such as novels), which
start by introducing the setting and characters and reveal the final outcome of
the story at the end.
Structure of a news report
News reports do not tell the story in chronological order. The structure of a
news report is top heavy with information because readers often only read two
or three paragraphs before skipping to the next story. Details should usually –
but not always – be included in order of importance, allowing subeditors to cut
from the bottom if the story is too long.
Writing a Chronological Story Writing a News Report
