Breaking news is a type of story that requires immediate attention and reporting. It is an event or development that has occurred recently and is rapidly unfolding, often with serious consequences. This is different from a standard news article or feature story, which have time for in-depth research and fact-checking. Breaking news is usually delivered via social media, where eyewitness accounts and public reactions are published in real time. This can lead to inaccurate or sensational reports, which may spread quickly before they are corrected. The urgency of breaking news can also challenge journalists to resist jumping to conclusions or spreading fear.
Unlike fiction or essays, which allow writers to explore creativity and analyze topics in depth, news writing prioritizes delivering verified facts in a succinct format. Use a headline that will catch the reader’s attention, and trim extra words. Check for cliches, which are overused phrases that have lost their impact. Use the five Ws and an H (who, what, where, when, why, and how) to develop your article’s main points. Avoid speculation—remember Murphy’s law: the one time you assume something, it’ll invariably be wrong. In the case of breaking news, always verify with authorities. Also, never rely on eyewitness accounts—while dramatic and compelling, they aren’t necessarily accurate. For example, the erroneous report of Gabrielle Gifford’s death was based on an eyewitness account from a witness who had not been to the scene of the shooting. In the case of an accident, an eyewitness’s statement can be especially unreliable.
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