IGNOU FREE BHDS-186 News Collection and Writing Solved Guess Paper 2025

Q1. What is News? Explain its characteristics with suitable examples.

News is an accurate, timely, and meaningful account of events that are of interest or importance to the public. It informs people about what is happening around them and helps them take decisions. News must be factual and free from personal opinions.

The key characteristics of news include:

1. Timeliness – News must be recent. For example, yesterday’s election results are news, but last year’s are not.

2. Proximity – Events happening near the audience attract more interest. A flood in a nearby city is more relevant than one abroad.

3. Impact – The more people affected, the greater the news value. Price rise, accidents, and natural disasters have high impact.

4. Prominence – Well-known people or institutions increase news value. When a famous person visits a town, it becomes newsworthy.

5. Conflict – Disagreements, strikes, and political clashes attract readers’ attention.

6. Oddity – Strange or unusual events also become news, such as a 100-year-old person running a marathon.

7. Human Interest – Emotional stories that evoke sympathy, joy, or inspiration also qualify as news.

Thus, news is selected carefully based on its relevance, authenticity, and importance.

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Q2. What are the major sources of news? Explain their role in journalism.

News sources are the channels through which journalists gather information. Major sources include:

1. Reporters – They visit the field, attend events, and conduct interviews.

2. Press releases – Government, companies, and institutions send official statements to media houses.

3. News agencies – PTI, UNI provide verified national and international news.

4. Press conferences – Public figures share information and answer questions.

5. Documents and Reports – RTI records, court documents, surveys, research papers.

6. Social media – Platforms like Twitter, Facebook provide leads but require verification.

7. Public and eyewitnesses – Ordinary people present at the scene often provide the first account.

News sources are vital because journalism depends on accuracy, credibility, and speed. Without reliable sources, news becomes weak and misleading. Journalists must cross-check information before publishing to maintain ethical standards.

Q3. Explain News Values. How do they help in selecting news items?

News values are the standards or principles that journalists and editors use to evaluate whether an event, issue, or incident is important enough to be reported in the media. Since newspapers and news channels cannot publish every event happening around the world, news values help in selecting the most relevant, meaningful, and interesting stories for the audience. These values act as filters that determine the importance of a story and the amount of coverage it should receive.

One of the most essential news values is timeliness. News must be fresh and recent, because information loses value with time. Events that happened today or a few hours ago are more newsworthy than events that happened several days earlier. Another important news value is impact, which refers to the number of people affected by an event. The greater the impact, the higher the newsworthiness. For example, a major earthquake or a national policy change affects millions, making it highly significant.

Proximity is another key value. People are more interested in news that happens closer to them geographically or culturally. A small incident in one’s own town may seem more important than a bigger incident in a faraway country. Conflict—such as political disputes, protests, legal battles, or social clashes—attracts attention because it involves tension and drama. Readers naturally want to follow who wins, who loses, and what happens next.

Prominence also influences newsworthiness. Events involving famous personalities, celebrities, political leaders, or well-known organizations get more coverage because the public is curious about their actions. Novelty, or oddity, refers to unusual, unexpected, or rare events—something that is not common in everyday life. Such stories attract interest because they provide surprise, curiosity, and excitement. For instance, a person celebrating their 110th birthday or a rare animal being spotted can become news.

Another major news value is human interest. These stories focus on emotions, personal struggles, achievements, and inspiring experiences. They may not always be significant in terms of impact, but they touch readers’ hearts and create empathy.

Together, these news values help editors decide which stories deserve front-page placement, which should go to inside pages, and which should be rejected. For example, a natural disaster with massive destruction receives top priority because of its impact, while a small local event may receive limited space.

By applying these values, journalists ensure that newspapers and news channels remain relevant, engaging, and meaningful to their audience.

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Q4. What is News Reporting? Explain the qualities of a good reporter.

News reporting is the process of gathering, verifying, and presenting news in a factual and unbiased manner. A good reporter must possess curiosity, honesty, courage, and communication skills.

Qualities of a good reporter:

• Accuracy – Reporting facts correctly.

• Objectivity – No personal bias.

• Alertness – Being aware of surroundings.

• Courage – Covering dangerous events responsibly.

• Good writing skills – Clear, concise, engaging language.

• Ethical attitude – Respecting privacy and truth.

A good reporter wins public trust by consistently providing reliable and meaningful news.

Q5. Describe the structure of a news story.

A news story generally follows the inverted pyramid structure, where the most important information appears first.
Structure:

1. Headline – Short, catchy summary.

2. Lead (Intro) – Answers 5W + 1H (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How).

3. Body – Details, quotes, background information.

4. Conclusion – Additional less-important information.

This structure helps readers understand the news quickly and allows editors to cut the less important parts if needed.

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Q6. What is the Lead in news writing? Explain its types.

The Lead is the opening sentence or paragraph of a news article. It is the most essential part because it captures readers’ attention.

Types of Leads:

• Summary Lead – Gives complete information in brief.

• Descriptive Lead – Creates a scene or mood.

• Question Lead – Begins with a question.

• Quotation Lead – Starts with a quote.

• Anecdotal Lead – Uses a short story.

• Shock Lead – Surprising fact to engage readers.

A well-written lead increases readability and keeps the audience engaged.

Q7. Explain the role of interviews in news collection.

Interviews are a primary method of collecting firsthand information from people directly involved in events. Interviews help gather facts, opinions, and clarifications.

Types include structured, unstructured, telephonic, and email interviews. Reporters must prepare questions, respect interviewees, listen actively, and verify statements.

Interviews bring authenticity, human voices, and expert opinions into news stories, making them more credible and informative.

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Q8. What are the ethical principles of news writing?

Ethical principles ensure fairness, accuracy, and responsibility in journalism. These include:

• Truthfulness – Reporting verified facts.

• Objectivity – Avoiding bias.

• Balance – Presenting all sides of a story.

• Confidentiality – Protecting sources.

• Respect for privacy – Avoiding harm.

• No sensationalism – Not exaggerating events.

• Accountability – Correcting mistakes.

Ethics maintain public trust and protect the integrity of journalism.

Q9. What is Feature Writing? How is it different from news writing?

Feature writing focuses on human interest stories, background information, and deeper analysis. Unlike news writing, which reports events quickly, feature writing explores emotions, experiences, and storytelling.

Features include profiles, interviews, travel stories, lifestyle articles, and opinion pieces. They allow creativity, descriptive writing, and subjective narration.

News writing is factual and time-bound; feature writing is expressive and timeless. Both are essential parts of journalism.

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