Choosing the Most Efficient Method of Breaking News
Breaking news, more commonly known as late-breaking news or simply referred to as special report or special segment or news alert, is a subject that many broadcasters feel warrants the cancellation of regular programming or even current news on some occasions. Examples of late breaking news stories include the terror attack in London which left four dead and hundreds injured; the crash of a commercial airplane carryinguki passengers to Hawaii for a well-awaited honeymoon; and the mass shooting at a mall in Oregon that left 6 people dead and seven injured. Another form of breaking news is the unexpected announcement by a senior politician, government official, or the head of state of an event that has taken place months or years earlier. It is generally agreed upon that such announcements constitute newsworthy information that warrants an instant updating on various media forms and outlets. Such information is then given the title of breaking news.
In reality, most of us are too busy to follow local station updates on a daily basis. In this situation, it is more practical to turn to television networks, radio stations, and Internet sources for timely information. It may be true that the breaking news formula has already been widely implemented in most countries around the world. This leads many people to believe that they already know what is going to happen and how it is going to happen. What they do not realize is that they can actually make use of the same formula to inform themselves of news events that may happen in the local area or town that they live in.
There are many different ways to receive breaking news such as online streaming, email alerts, and on-air news reports. Of all of these, email alerts are probably the easiest and most convenient way for recipients to receive detailed information on a story. Simply set up a “breaking news” email alert with your preferred news source to be sent right to your inbox on a regular basis. You can tailor the content of the alert based on your preferences, including the title, description, headlines, and short blurbs about what you are reading.
Many television stations also broadcast their own daily news report as well as pre-scheduled programming. The advantage to this is the direct communication that can take place between the station and the recipient. While email alerts cannot offer this type of direct communication, a newspaper can provide a better alternative. Unlike television stations, a newspaper will provide a more concise and up to date story as compared to email. A recent example of this would be a front page story breaking the story of a large earthquake that occurred in Los Angeles. While the earthquake may still continue to be active, a reader would not have missed the story just from the email.
When it comes to breaking news, radio stations are often times the first source of important information. Even when the local TV or radio station is unable to confirm a breaking story, they often times broadcast a segment or two that will give readers a brief update. In many cases, these reports include live streaming video that can give readers the opportunity to check the website or blog for the latest information. Because of the nature of online coverage, readers should be aware that updates may occur immediately after they are posted. The benefit to checking a website for the latest information is that the reader can simply refresh the page to see the latest information. Readers who receive breaking news via email should stay on top of the situation by checking the website or alert they have signed up with for regular updates.
The final category of breaking news coverage involves national news sources. While the majority of newspapers and television stations to cover national stories, the internet has also made national news coverage available through a variety of web sites. A national news source may post a story on their website immediately or publish a separate story with breaking news links throughout the day. This method of reading a news story while on the go has become one of the most popular ways to stay up to date with national stories and local new releases.