A news flash is a piece of breaking news that keeps listeners updated on topics that affect them. It can be local, national or international and may include a mix of hard and soft news. A well written newsflash starts with a compelling headline that accurately and enticingly conveys what the story is about. It then follows the inverted pyramid style – most important details first, with more supporting information later – and cites its sources. It also includes a nut graph, which ties the main points into a larger picture to show their significance and direction.
The shortest segment of a radio or TV news bulletin, a newsflash usually lasts one to three minutes and interrupts the regular programming to present the latest developments in a particular subject. It’s the only place to broadcast a breaking story, so it must be carefully crafted to capture people’s attention and get them to keep listening.
It is not the place to introduce opinion, so only major stories belong in a newsflash. The briefness of the newsflash forces writers to skate over some of the details – only the most important facts should be included – but it’s still important to deliver them with clarity and urgency.
A newsflash should always end with a forward-looking element that hints at the future relevance of the topic. This is especially important if it is an ongoing story such as a terrorist attack or natural disaster.