Breaking news
Encyclopedia
Breaking news, also known as a special report or news bulletin, is a current event
that broadcasters feel warrants the interruption of scheduled programming and/or current news in order to report its details. Many times, breaking news is used after the news network has already reported on this story. When a story has not been reported on previously, the graphic and phrase Just In is sometimes used instead. Its use is often loosely assigned to the most significant story of the moment or a story that is being covered live. It could be a story that is simply of wide interest to viewers and has little impact otherwise.
to switch to the network news feed. Then, there is an opening graphic, featuring music (such as NBC
's "The Pulse of Events", composed by John Williams) which adds an emphasis on the importance of the event. This is usually followed with the introduction of a news anchor, who welcomes the viewer to the broadcast and introduces the story at hand. Lower thirds
and other graphics may also be coloured differently than normal to convey a sense of urgency.
Once the story is introduced, the network may if possible choose to continue to show a live shot of the anchor or may cut away to video or images of the story that is being followed during the broadcast. Additionally, the coverage may be passed to a reporter at the location of the breaking event, possibly sharing more information about the story as it breaks.
Depending upon the story being followed, the report may last only a few minutes, or continue for multiple hours at a time. If coverage continues for an extended amount of time, the network may integrate analysis about the story through analysts in-studio, via phone, satellite, broadband (B-GAN) or through other means of communication. Depending on the severity of the event regular commercial advertising may be completely suspended for sustained coverage, and network affiliates will be required to insert their station identification
in at the top of the hour overlaid during the report rather than through the usual means of a station imaging promo or program reminder.
When the coverage comes to a close, the network may either resume programming that was occurring prior to the event or begin new programming, depending upon the amount of time spent on the coverage. The anchor will usually remind viewers to check the network's website, or watch any cable news
channels it may own for more information. If the story breaks during daytime programming, the anchor will usually remind viewers that there will be or might be more details on their local news that day and a full wrap-up on the network's evening news program. Usually regular daytime programming is joined in progress and segments may be missed.
If the event occurs during prime time
, the anchor will usually remind viewers that there will be more details on their late local news (if applicable) and on the network's breakfast news program
the next morning. Programming at this time is either joined in progress or started back up at the point of the interruption, depending on whether the program is new to air, highly rated or has time left in its time slot to finish airing.
stations of CBS Radio
, which very rarely use a breaking news theme for all but the most urgent and dire of breaking news and is purposefully structured to give a sense of attention for the listener, almost sounding like an alarm. For local events continuous coverage may be imposed, or else the station may wait until they have a reporter at the scene and will promise more details of the event as they become available.
National news over a radio network requires constant monitoring by station employees to allow the network coverage to air, although many stations will take the 'urgent' signal sent by the network and break into programming immediately. Again, continuous coverage from a national radio network depends on the severity of the event, and often the network may just pass down the coverage by their local affiliate with spare commentary by the network's anchors.
Other considerations are made also; FM music stations rarely relay breaking news unless it is an event of grave national concern, though local weather warnings are always given. Less urgent events allow a network to feed updates to stations at :20, :30, and :50 after the hour to give a summary of events. Stations are also careful about what stories are relayed during play-by-play broadcasts of professional and college sports, as those are the programs most listened to on radio, so breaking news coverage is limited to only commercial breaks.
, largely emphasize this, even advertising the station as being "first for breaking news".
In various countries and at various news outlets, terms such as "breaking," "urgent," "flash," "bulletin," and "alert" may accompany breaking news reports. The term breaking news has come to replace the older use of news bulletin, with the latter term relegated to only the most extraordinary of events. There has been widespread use of breaking news at the local level, particularly when one station in a market wants to emphasize the exclusivity of coverage. Not all viewers agree that stories assigned breaking news rise to the significance or level of interest that warrant such a designation. American network news divisions still use the term special report for either a breaking news story, a developing news story or both, but tend to use the term breaking news on their morning news
and evening news programs. Most local stations across the United States that interrupt regular program for a news story use the breaking news and special report terms, with a voice-over stating either "This is a breaking news special report" or "This is a special breaking news report" or "This is a (network name) News Special Report", followed by a disclaimer for viewers who would like more information to see the network's news division website.
, initial reports were that all 12 miners were found alive, but news organizations later found only one actually survived.
Another criticism has been the diluting of the importance of breaking news by the need of 24-hour news channels
to fill time, applying the title to soft news stories of questionable importance and urgency, for example car chase
s. Others question whether the use of the term is excessive, citing occasions when the term is used even though scheduled programming is not interrupted. Some programs, such as HLN's Nancy Grace have even used the term for events which occurred months before.
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
that broadcasters feel warrants the interruption of scheduled programming and/or current news in order to report its details. Many times, breaking news is used after the news network has already reported on this story. When a story has not been reported on previously, the graphic and phrase Just In is sometimes used instead. Its use is often loosely assigned to the most significant story of the moment or a story that is being covered live. It could be a story that is simply of wide interest to viewers and has little impact otherwise.
Television
The format of a special report or breaking news event on television commonly consists of a reverse countdown from 5 or 10 seconds to allow any affiliated stationsNetwork affiliate
In the broadcasting industry , a network affiliate is a local broadcaster which carries some or all of the television program or radio program line-up of a television or radio network, but is owned by a company other than the owner of the network...
to switch to the network news feed. Then, there is an opening graphic, featuring music (such as NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's "The Pulse of Events", composed by John Williams) which adds an emphasis on the importance of the event. This is usually followed with the introduction of a news anchor, who welcomes the viewer to the broadcast and introduces the story at hand. Lower thirds
Lower thirds
In the television industry , a lower third is a graphic placed in the title safe lower area of the screen, though not necessarily the entire lower third of it, as the name suggests....
and other graphics may also be coloured differently than normal to convey a sense of urgency.
Once the story is introduced, the network may if possible choose to continue to show a live shot of the anchor or may cut away to video or images of the story that is being followed during the broadcast. Additionally, the coverage may be passed to a reporter at the location of the breaking event, possibly sharing more information about the story as it breaks.
Depending upon the story being followed, the report may last only a few minutes, or continue for multiple hours at a time. If coverage continues for an extended amount of time, the network may integrate analysis about the story through analysts in-studio, via phone, satellite, broadband (B-GAN) or through other means of communication. Depending on the severity of the event regular commercial advertising may be completely suspended for sustained coverage, and network affiliates will be required to insert their station identification
Station identification
Station identification is the practice of radio or television stations or networks identifying themselves on air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name...
in at the top of the hour overlaid during the report rather than through the usual means of a station imaging promo or program reminder.
When the coverage comes to a close, the network may either resume programming that was occurring prior to the event or begin new programming, depending upon the amount of time spent on the coverage. The anchor will usually remind viewers to check the network's website, or watch any cable news
United States cable news
Cable news refers to television channels devoted to television news broadcasts, with the name deriving from the proliferation of such networks during the 1980s with the advent of cable television. In the United States, early networks included CNN in 1980, Financial News Network in 1981, and CNN2 ...
channels it may own for more information. If the story breaks during daytime programming, the anchor will usually remind viewers that there will be or might be more details on their local news that day and a full wrap-up on the network's evening news program. Usually regular daytime programming is joined in progress and segments may be missed.
If the event occurs during prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
, the anchor will usually remind viewers that there will be more details on their late local news (if applicable) and on the network's breakfast news program
Breakfast television
Breakfast television or morning show , is a type of infotainment television program, broadcast live in the morning...
the next morning. Programming at this time is either joined in progress or started back up at the point of the interruption, depending on whether the program is new to air, highly rated or has time left in its time slot to finish airing.
Radio
On radio, the process of a breaking news story is somewhat the same, though some different considerations are made for the medium. For instance, a breaking news theme is required by default to have an urgent tenor and be used only for the purpose of true breaking news or bulletins. This is obvious on the local all-news radioAll-news radio
All-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcast of news.All-news radio is available in both local and syndicated forms, and is carried in some form on both major US satellite radio networks...
stations of CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
, which very rarely use a breaking news theme for all but the most urgent and dire of breaking news and is purposefully structured to give a sense of attention for the listener, almost sounding like an alarm. For local events continuous coverage may be imposed, or else the station may wait until they have a reporter at the scene and will promise more details of the event as they become available.
National news over a radio network requires constant monitoring by station employees to allow the network coverage to air, although many stations will take the 'urgent' signal sent by the network and break into programming immediately. Again, continuous coverage from a national radio network depends on the severity of the event, and often the network may just pass down the coverage by their local affiliate with spare commentary by the network's anchors.
Other considerations are made also; FM music stations rarely relay breaking news unless it is an event of grave national concern, though local weather warnings are always given. Less urgent events allow a network to feed updates to stations at :20, :30, and :50 after the hour to give a summary of events. Stations are also careful about what stories are relayed during play-by-play broadcasts of professional and college sports, as those are the programs most listened to on radio, so breaking news coverage is limited to only commercial breaks.
Usage
While in the past programming interruptions were restricted to extremely urgent news, such breaks are now common at 24-hour news channels which may have an anchor available for live interruption at any time. Some networks, such as Sky NewsSky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
, largely emphasize this, even advertising the station as being "first for breaking news".
In various countries and at various news outlets, terms such as "breaking," "urgent," "flash," "bulletin," and "alert" may accompany breaking news reports. The term breaking news has come to replace the older use of news bulletin, with the latter term relegated to only the most extraordinary of events. There has been widespread use of breaking news at the local level, particularly when one station in a market wants to emphasize the exclusivity of coverage. Not all viewers agree that stories assigned breaking news rise to the significance or level of interest that warrant such a designation. American network news divisions still use the term special report for either a breaking news story, a developing news story or both, but tend to use the term breaking news on their morning news
Breakfast television
Breakfast television or morning show , is a type of infotainment television program, broadcast live in the morning...
and evening news programs. Most local stations across the United States that interrupt regular program for a news story use the breaking news and special report terms, with a voice-over stating either "This is a breaking news special report" or "This is a special breaking news report" or "This is a (network name) News Special Report", followed by a disclaimer for viewers who would like more information to see the network's news division website.
Criticism
In early coverage of a breaking story, details are commonly sketchy, usually due to the limited information available at the time. For example, during the Sago Mine disasterSago Mine disaster
The Sago Mine disaster was a coal mine explosion on January 2, 2006, in the Sago Mine in Sago, in Upshur County, West Virginia, USA, near the county seat of Buckhannon. The blast and collapse trapped 13 miners for nearly two days; one miner survived...
, initial reports were that all 12 miners were found alive, but news organizations later found only one actually survived.
Another criticism has been the diluting of the importance of breaking news by the need of 24-hour news channels
24-hour news cycle
The 24-hour news cycle arrived with the advent of television channels dedicated to news, and brought about a much faster pace of news production with increased demand for stories that can be presented as news, as opposed to the day-by-day pace of the news cycle of printed daily newspapers...
to fill time, applying the title to soft news stories of questionable importance and urgency, for example car chase
Car chase
A car chase is the vehicular pursuit of a suspect by law enforcement officers. Car chases are often captured on film and broadcast due to the availability of video footage recorded by police cars and police and media helicopters participating in the chase...
s. Others question whether the use of the term is excessive, citing occasions when the term is used even though scheduled programming is not interrupted. Some programs, such as HLN's Nancy Grace have even used the term for events which occurred months before.