Definition of News Item

News item is a text which informs readers about 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, then this event deserves
news. Well, the news text is called the news item text. However, if there are events that people do not
deserve, then they are not definitely worth to be news.

Generic Structure of News Item

# Main Events / Newsworthy event(s): it recounts the event in summary form.

# Elaboration / Background event(s): they elaborate what happened, to whom, in what circumstance

# Resource of Information (Source) : it contains comments by participants in, witnesses to and

authorities expert on the event

Purpose of News Item

News Item Text is used to inform readers about events of the day which are considered newsworthy or
important.

Or

– To inform the readers about newsworthy or important events of the day

– To present information the readers about newsworthy or important events of the day

Language Feature of News Item

– Focusing on circumstances (using a simple language in writing the text)

– Using saying verbs: “….”, She said, informed, told, reported.

– Sometimes at the beginning of news, the scene is mentioned : Jakarta – … .. / Kuala Lumpur – …

– Using Past tense in explaining news events. But if it is a fact that until now still happen or still in the
form of fact, then can use simple present tense.

– Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline

– Using adverbs: time, place and manner.

– Uses of material processes to retell the event

Example of News Items Text

Didi Petet Died

Veteran actor Didi Widiatmoko, popularly known as Didi Petet, died at the age of 58 at his residence in
Sasak Tinggi, Ciputat, South Tangerang, on Friday morning.

Didi’s niece Muthia Kautsar said that Didi, who starred in a number of comedy and drama films in the
1980s and 1990s, collapsed and lost consciousness when attending an expo in Milan, Italy, recently.

“He just arrived home on May 10 after attending the exhibition. In that city, he collapsed and lost
consciousness and returned home in a wheelchair,” she said.

On Tuesday, Didi was taken to Bandung for treatment. Muthia said no diseases were detected but he
died on Friday.

Didi’s body is laid out in his residence on Jl. Bambu Apus in Sasak Tinggi, Ciputat, South Tangerang. It has
yet to be decided when and where he will be buried.

The Biggest Insect was Found – An Example of News Item Text

An explorer has found the biggest insect ever on record – so large it can scoff a carrot. The insect is
called a Weta Bug and has a huge wing span of seven inches and weighs as much as three mice.

An entomologist Mark Moffett, 55, discovered the cricket-like creature up a tree on New Zealand’s Little
Barrier Island. He spent two days searching for the creepy crawly which were thought to be extinct after
Europeans brought rats to the island many years ago.

“This became all the more amazing when we realised that this was the largest insect recorded.” Mark
said.

Cows Crashed a Party – Funny News Item Example

BOXFORD, Mass. – Six cows crashed a party in Massachusetts and stole the beer, police said.
The cows escaped from a nearby farm and headed straight to the graduation party. One of the
attendees called 911. The homeowner told his daughter the revelry had gone too far. “She came inside
and said, ‘Dad there’s a cow outside,’” Kevin Spencer said. “And I says, ‘That’s it. Party’s over.’”

Police said the cows were actually drinking the beer left on the picnic table. “They enjoyed it. They went
right for the beer,” Lt James Riter said. “When one was done they’d knock another one over and take
care of that beer.” Officers steered the cows back to their farm.

This example of news item text is taken from kgw.com

Indonesian maid beheaded in Saudi Arabia

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)

Example of News items text – President Donald Trump will bring the “full force” of the U.S. government
to combat human trafficking.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The president is meeting with senior advisers and representatives of
organizations that deal with trafficking at the White House. His daughter is among those in attendance.

Trump calls “human trafficking” as a problem that is “not talked about enough.” He said that he would
order the departments of Justice and Homeland Security to take a hard look at the resources they were
devoting to addressing the issue.

Human trafficking tends to occur around international travel-hubs with large immigrant populations,
such as California and Texas. The U.S. Justice Department estimates that 14,500–17,500 people,
including young children, teenagers, men and women, are trafficked into the country every year. They
can be domestic citizens or foreign nationals. According to the Department of State’s statistics from
2000, there are approximately 244,000 American children and youth that are at risk for sex trafficking
each year.