A news flash is a short, compelling piece of breaking news that interrupts the radio or TV broadcast and updates listeners on current events. It can be about local, national or international issues and is a great way to keep your audience informed about topics that affect them directly. A good news flash starts with a headline that accurately and enticingly reflects what the article is about, followed by a lead that fleshes out the subject matter. Finally, a nut graph should tie the facts introduced in the lead into a bigger picture that shows why this topic matters to your audience.
Since a news flash is so short, it has to skate over many details; only major stories belong in this type of article. However, this does not mean that the lead is less important than any other paragraph. It is critical to capture the reader’s attention by using a powerful narrative hook or anecdote that instantly encapsulates the main subject of the article. The lead should also mention any additional information that needs to be conveyed and cite its source.
When mentioning the name of a person in your newsflash, it is best to use their full first and middle names rather than only their initials. This helps to avoid jarring readers and keeps the tone professional and formal. Similarly, it’s always preferable to refer to your audience as “you” instead of using generic terms such as “listeners.” Finally, try to include some forward-looking sentences in the end that zoom out from the specifics of your story and show how this issue will continue to be relevant in the future.