Breaking news is the news that develops in real time, such as a car accident or severe weather event. When a story is breaking, media outlets must work quickly to provide updates and inform the public of events that are developing as they unfold. However, the urgency of these stories can lead to mistakes if reporters do not exercise caution or take the time to verify facts. This can cause confusion in the public and undermine trust in journalism.
Determine how your organization will respond to breaking news and develop a plan for how it will be reported on social media, online and on air. This includes how you will provide closed captioning for your video and audio content.
News writing is a style of writing that delivers factual, objective information in an easily digestible format. It was originally developed to allow journalists to update the public quickly, which is especially important during times of crisis or major events such as wars and natural disasters.
The most important information should go first in a news article. Consider using the AP style of writing, which places the most newsworthy information at the top of the article and includes the five W’s and H (who, what, when, where and why).
In breaking news articles, it is also important to cite the source of your information. This can be done by referencing the original newspaper article or by providing direct quotes from an official source. Avoid using opinionated language or jargon in your reporting to avoid confusing the reader and appearing biased.