A key function of political news is to inform people about their government, the policies it makes and how these affect them. In a democratic society, the quality of this information is a good measure of how well that democracy is working.
Writing articles on politics requires a clear plan and careful preparation, because the subject is often complicated and has many different sides. Those who write about politics must be able to make sense of the complex official language used in the field, commonly known as jargon. This is difficult because readers do not always understand the significance of the facts and opinions they read about in a newspaper article.
It is also necessary to take account of the range of possible angles to a story on politics, so that it can appeal to a broad audience. Political issues are often polarising, so it is important to try to find a balance between the views of all parties concerned.
In the run-up to an election, and during the actual count, newspapers often produce a special results supplement. This will need to be carefully planned, especially in terms of accurate calculations of how much space is needed for the full list of election winners and losers. It may also be helpful to publish a table showing the new composition of the elected body.