Numbers can be tricky when writing a news story because they can be hard for a reader to keep track of.
However, numbers are vital to putting a news story into perspective.
The proper use of numbers in journalism gives the reader an idea of the magnitude of an event, for example a budget change, and places the event in proportion.
Numbers are also helpful for illustrating change and the speed, or rate, at which it takes place.
Credibility is also helped by the use of numbers. For example, the difference between saying, “Our debt has gone up a bit” sounds less important than saying “Our debt has risen 13%”.
A successful news story will use numbers sparingly, but will not get caught up in them.
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