How to Write a News Report

Definition of report
A report is an informative piece of writing and a written record of what you have seen, heard or looked
into. It is a well organized and methodical presentation of facts and results from an event that has already
occurred.

Generally, there are different types of report such as analytical report, informational report, formal,
informal report and so on. News report is a news story that is found in newspapers. It is an informational
report since it provides the readers with what is happening around the world.

Types of news report

There are several types of news reports which are as under:

1. Investigative reporting
2. Court reporting
3. Political reporting
4. Accidental reporting
5. Fashion reporting
6. Business reporting
7. Specialized reporting

Structure of news report:

Some certain structure is followed to write a proper news report. They are hereafter:
1. Headline
2. Byline
3. Place date
4. Lead paragraph
5. Body
6. Conclusion

Let us elaborate them:

1. Headline: News report begins with a proper, concise, and catchy headline related to the story.
2. Byline: The byline comes after the headline. It is nothing but the name of the author or the
reporter who is filing the report.
3. Place Date: Date mentions the exact time when the report is written.
4. The lead paragraph: It informs the readers of the most important aspects of the story as soon as
possible. The lead paragraph is often the only part the readers used to read. It answers the 5 Ws
rules such as
I. Who is involved
II. What took place
III. When did it take place
 IV. Why did it happen
V. How did it happen

5. The body: After mentioning reporting the basis in the introduction, the readers who are
interested would like to know further details about the event. It is elaborated on the lead. Two,
three or more paragraphs will be added to explain, elaborate, and amplify the lead.
6. The conclusion: The conclusion is a small paragraph mentioning what is expected from the
upcoming days. It gives the scope for the readers to think or keep opinions. It terminates the
elaboration and reflects the consequences.

The following steps should be taken while writing a news report:

1. Collection of information: Collecting the right information is the primary step before writing
a news report. This process starts from visiting the site, interviewing witnesses, and lastly
transcribing the interviews.
2. Write in short sentence: While writing a report, we must keep in mind that the sentences
must be short, punchy, and convey things clearly. It cannot be written in complex sentence.
This will also help in using the apt vocabulary and reducing grammar and punctuation mistake.
3. Quotes in the report: A report must sound interesting to read. Therefore, a good way to keep
the readers engaged is adding by some popular quotes. Do not forget to introduce the person
who said it.
4. Attribution: Always acknowledge where you acquired the information unless it is common
knowledge. Thus, not giving credit to someone can get the reporter in trouble.
5. Factual check: A news report is different from an opinion piece so that only information is
provided in a news report. Therefore, while writing a news report, we have to make sure to
collect all the facts and evidence and present them in the report.
6. Writing Style: News report, generally, adhere to an expository writing style.