A news flash is a quick piece of breaking news that interrupts radio or TV programming and updates listeners on current events. The subject matter can be local, national or international and is a great way to keep your audience informed about topics that affect them directly. A newsflash should be short — no more than three minutes, so you’ll have to skate over some details and only focus on major issues. A well written newsflash starts with a compelling headline that accurately and enticingly reflects the story. Next, the lead should flesh out the headline and cite the sources. Finally, the nut graph should tie the facts introduced in the lead to a bigger picture and explain why they matter to your audience.
The lead is your chance to hook your audience and draw them into the article, so it’s important to use a narrative hook or anecdote that captures interest and entices people to read on. It’s also crucial to include any additional facts that you need to convey, as well as a forward-looking element that shows how the story will continue to impact people in the future.
Since you have limited time to cover the news, it’s important to follow the inverted pyramid style when writing a news flash. Introduce the most important facts first, then add more information and cite your sources as you go along. You may want to include a quote from an expert or witness to give your article credibility and perspective.
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