NEWS ITEM

Definition, Structure, Purpose and Example

Source: https://www.english-academy.id/blog/news-item-text
What is “News Item”?

A news item text is a kind of a text which aims to inform the readers about the
important, newsworthy events of the day. The events are considered
newsworthy or important. It means if there is an important event that should be
known by many people.
Generic Structure
1. Main event/Newsworthy events
a. Main event is a paragraph that contains a summary of an event, aka important
events that are highlights to be conveyed to the reader.
b. In this case, one thing that must be considered by the writer is actuality. Are the
events to be discussed up to date or “latest”? The reason is, the latest information
will certainly have a higher value than old news.
c. Another element that can be taken into consideration for writing a main event is
whether or not an event is important, and how much influence it has on readers.
2. Elaboration/Background Event
a. Must contain 5W+1H, this background event contains the background of the events
that occurred. Starting from what and who was involved, where, when, why, and
how the incident could happen.
b. Written in detail
3. Resource of Information (Source)
Source is a section that contains the opinion of experts or eyewitnesses. In addition, it can
also be in the form of comments from various other parties involved.
Purpose

News item text aims to provide information to readers about an important

event or event of value.

In addition, with the existence of news item text, people can determine
attitudes as a response or response to a news item. For example, with the
news about police regulations requiring motorcyclists to wear shoes, the
public will be more orderly for reasons of safety and also avoid sanctions.
How do you spot a news item?

A news item text has several unique characteristics that makes them easy to
spot. Those characteristics include:

● The text features a notable, important event

● The text usually use concise language
● The text usually has a headline and accompanying photo or illustration
Language Features

1. Using Simple Past Tense

* title: Simple Present Tense = fresh from the oven
** contents in simple present tense = the event still on going
2. Using saying words
Examples: respond, say, answer, ask, reply, inquire, tell, etc.
3. Using action verbs
Action verbs or dynamic verbs are verbs that refer to an action that is visible to others.
4. Using adverbs: time, place, manner
News Item VS Recount Text

News items are factual information that needs to be conveyed to the public as quickly as possible. Recount is
a text which retells events or experiences in the past. Its purpose is either to inform or to entertain the
audience. There is no complication among the participants and that differentiates from narrative.
Generally, recount texts have orientation, events and reorientation.
Example Almost half a million people have been affected by floods and landslides in the Chinese province of Guangdong,
according to authorities, after parts of southern China were hit by the heaviest downpours in 60 years over the
weekend.

Flooding caused by the torrential rain has forced 177,600 people to relocate, destroyed 1,729 houses, damaged 27.13
hectares of crop and caused losses of more than $250 million, Guangdong’s Department of Emergency Management
said Tuesday.

Guangdong is one of at least seven provinces where the record rainfall has caused severe landslides and flooded
roads, according to state media. In southwestern Guizhou province, swollen rivers spilled over roads, sweeping away
cars and homes, videos on social media showed. The downpours come amid warnings by experts that extreme
weather is becoming more frequent.

Precipitation in Guangxi, Guangdong and Fujian reached its highest since 1961, local weather bureaus said on
Saturday, as those areas recorded an average rainfall of 621 millimeters (24.4 inches) in the 46 day period from May 1
and June 15, according to state news agency Xinhua.

That figure is equal to more than 90% of the countrywide average of 672.1 millimeters for the whole of 2021, based on
data by the National Climate Center. Weather experts say conditions are ripe for further heavy rainstorms in the south
of the country and heatwaves in the north.

“Cold and warm air has converged over southern China, and the two sides have entered a deadlock and a tug of war,”
Wang Weiyue, an analyst at weather.com.cn, an arm of the China Meteorological Administration, told Reuters.

Heavy rain is forecast to persist until Tuesday in the southern provinces of Guizhou, Jiangxi, Anhui, Zhejiang and
Guangxi and then move northward.
Adopted from CNN
(https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/20/world/southern-china-southern-severe-flood-rain-climate-crisis-intl-hnk)
Example Almost half a million people have been affected by floods and landslides in the Chinese province of Guangdong,
according to authorities, after parts of southern China were hit by the heaviest downpours in 60 years over the
weekend.
1&2: Main
Events Flooding caused by the torrential rain has forced 177,600 people to relocate, destroyed 1,729 houses, damaged 27.13
hectares of crop and caused losses of more than $250 million, Guangdong’s Department of Emergency Management
said Tuesday.

Guangdong is one of at least seven provinces where the record rainfall has caused severe landslides and flooded
roads, according to state media. In southwestern Guizhou province, swollen rivers spilled over roads, sweeping away
cars and homes, videos on social media showed. The downpours come amid warnings by experts that extreme
weather is becoming more frequent.
3-5: Precipitation in Guangxi, Guangdong and Fujian reached its highest since 1961, local weather bureaus said on
Background Saturday, as those areas recorded an average rainfall of 621 millimeters (24.4 inches) in the 46 day period from May 1
Events and June 15, according to state news agency Xinhua.

That figure is equal to more than 90% of the countrywide average of 672.1 millimeters for the whole of 2021, based on
data by the National Climate Center. Weather experts say conditions are ripe for further heavy rainstorms in the south
of the country and heatwaves in the north.

“Cold and warm air has converged over southern China, and the two sides have entered a deadlock and a tug of war,”
Wang Weiyue, an analyst at weather.com.cn, an arm of the China Meteorological Administration, told Reuters.
Source
Heavy rain is forecast to persist until Tuesday in the southern provinces of Guizhou, Jiangxi, Anhui, Zhejiang and
Guangxi and then move northward.
Adopted from CNN
(https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/20/world/southern-china-southern-severe-flood-rain-climate-crisis-intl-hnk)