What is News Item?

1. 1.      Definition of News Item or The Meaning of News Item

News item is a text which informs readers about events of the day. The events are considered newsworthy or important.

1. 2.      Generic Structure of News Item

1. Main event
2. Elaboration (background, participant, time, place)
3. Resource of information

1. 3.      Language Feature of News Item

1. Focusing on circumstances
2. Using material process
3. Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline
4. Using action verbs (hit, attack)
5. Use of saying verbs (said, added, claimed)
6. Use of passive sentences and adverb in passive sentences

1. 4.      Examples and structures of the text

Town ‘Contaminated
Newsworthy events	Moscow – A Russian journalist has uncovered evidence of another Soviet nuclear catastrophe, which killed 10 sailors and contaminated an entire town.
Background Events	Yelena Vazrshavskya is the first journalist to speak to people who witnessed the explosion of a nuclear submarine at the naval base of shkotovo – 22 near Vladivostock.
	The accident, which occurred 13 months before the Chernobyl disaster, spread radioactive fall-out over the base and nearby town, but was covered  up by officials of the Soviet Union. Residents were told the explosion in the reactor of the Victor-class submarine during a refit had been a ‘thermal’ and not a nuclear explosion. And those involved in the clean up operation to remove more than 600 tones of contaminated material were sworn to secrecy.
Sumber InformasiSources	A board of investigators was later to describe it as the worst accident in the history of the Soviet Navy.

      

News Item with The Generic Structure Analysis

 Indonesian Maid beheaded

      An Indonesian housemaid has been executed in Saudi Arabia after being convicted of killing her employer, the Saudi Interior Minister said.
       The woman was beheaded in the Southern Asir province in what was the second execution in the country.
       The maid was earlier found of suffocating her female boss and stealing her jewellery. Rape, murder and other serious crimes can carry the death penalty in the conservative desert kingdom.
Last year, Saudi Arabia, which follow a strict intepretation of Syaria, Islamic law executed more than 130 people.

 (Taken from: www.news.bbc.co.id)

Generic Structure Analysis
Main event; an Indonesian maid was beheaded in Saudi Arabia.
Background 1; the maid was found guilty of suffocating her bos.
Background 2; serious crimes can carry death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
Background 3; Saudi Arabia executed more than 130 people last year.
Resource; the Saudi Interior Minister statement.
Language Feature Analysis
Focussing circumtances; law of serious crimes.
Using material process; behead, execute, carry, etc

 The Example of News Item 

SUPREME COURT REJECTS DICKY'S APPEAL

             Jakarta : The supreme court has upheld the 2006 graft conviction of Dicky Iskandar Di Nata, the former president director of PT Brocolin International. Dicky was found guilty by the South Jakarta Distric Court of misusing Rp 1,9 trillion in funds from Bank BNI, which he claimed was a "grant from an Israeli investor" The court sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

             "We have rejected Dicky's appeal. Therefore, he must serve his 20 years prison and pay a fine of Rp 500 million. "Presiding justice Artidjo Alkostar was quoted by Detic.com news portal as saying Thursday-JP.

Event

Event can refer to many things such as :

An observable occurrence, phenomenon or an extraordinary occurrence.

A type of gathering :

A ceremony, for example : a marriage

A competition, for example : a sports competition

A convention (meeting)

A happening, a performance or situation meant to be considered as art 

A festival, for example : a musical event

A media event, a happening that attracts coverage by mass media

A party

A Sporting event