In the world of news, breaking news is a story that’s developing as it’s happening. It could be a plane crash, a fire, a hurricane or something else that’s unexpected and unfolding in real time.
Breaking news is the most urgent and important stories in a media outlet’s portfolio. It’s also the most challenging to cover because the stakes are so high, and the compulsion to be first can lead to mistakes. In order to be a trustworthy source of information, it’s crucial for journalists to always keep in mind the basic journalistic principles of accuracy and fairness.
The first step is to determine what’s at the heart of the story, determining its core essence and urgency. From there, a reporter can decide what the most pertinent facts are, and what’s less relevant. It’s also important to never speculate. It’s easy to make assumptions, especially at the scene of a dramatic event like a shooting, but it’s vital for journalists to confirm everything they report with authorities. Even eyewitness accounts should be backed up with other sources—in the case of the Giffords shooting, NPR based its erroneous reports on eyewitness accounts that turned out to be unreliable.
When breaking news occurs, a network will usually interrupt its current non-news programming, or if it’s an emergency, the anchor of the regular broadcast will open with a special graphic and distinctive music cue. In more recent times, however, some networks have begun using “Special Report” tickers to provide short-form updates on certain breaking stories during regularly scheduled programming, which can reduce the need for interruptions.
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