Breaking news is an event or series of events that occur in real-time and capture the audience’s attention. This type of news often involves a significant, urgent matter such as a natural disaster, major accident or political upheaval. As the name suggests, breaking news prioritizes immediacy and urgency in reporting, requiring journalists to report only the most essential facts at first and provide updates as more information becomes available. Despite the importance of providing accurate and comprehensive reporting, the nature of breaking news sometimes leads to misinformation which can shape public perception.
Evaluate your station’s approach to breaking news. Describe the procedures your team follows when breaking news occurs and when it is time to interrupt programming. Determine whether the station will use the news crawl or a cut-in to deliver information to viewers and listeners during the event. Evaluate the need to provide live coverage, especially during a breaking story that may impact the safety of your staff or viewers. Consider whether the newsroom has experts in various fields who can quickly provide information and commentary to viewers during breaking news.
When interviewing witnesses during a breaking news story, be sure to caution them not to mention the names of injured or deceased people until family members have been notified. Similarly, remember to inform viewers that the information they receive on television and radio is not official until it is reported by local authorities. Also evaluate your procedures for communicating with the hearing-impaired audience during breaking news situations.
