Breaking news is current, urgent reporting that occurs as events unfold rather than following a scheduled script. It prioritizes urgency and immediacy over thorough research and fact-checking, often resulting in continuous updates throughout an event’s coverage. It can be triggered by unexpected events, such as natural disasters or political crises, or by a public outcry for more information on an ongoing story. Breaking news can be reported on in a variety of ways, including news alerts, live reporting, and the use of lower third graphics and alert crawls during regularly scheduled programming.
While it’s tempting to get the scoop on breaking news, be careful not to sacrifice accuracy for speed. In the rush to be first, media outlets often report things that turn out to be untrue. Also, when relying on eyewitness accounts or social media, it’s important to confirm them with authorities before broadcasting them.
Breaking news often interrupts regular programming, and is often announced with a distinctive newsflash or special report graphic followed by an on-air alert. Before 24-hour news networks existed, this was typically limited to a few times per day for major events such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, or major weather events such as tornadoes. Today, many networks feature “live reports” during regularly scheduled programming to deliver this type of news, lessening the need for cut-ins. NBC’s Special Report ticker is an example of this. Similarly, Fox Television Stations offers live coverage of breaking news events on its LiveNOW channel.