Breaking news covers immediate, fast-developing events that are urgent to report. In an era of 24-hour news networks, breaking stories may interrupt regular programming or alert viewers with a ticker on the bottom of the screen. Regardless of the medium, news articles must provide accurate, concise information that readers can trust.
Journalists obtain the facts to write a news article using a variety of reporting techniques that can include interviewing sources, searching government documents, reviewing old articles, and observing events firsthand. They must also be able to determine what makes an event newsworthy by asking themselves questions such as “What’s new, noteworthy, or impactful?”
To convey the urgency of a breaking story, journalists often use a summary lead that explains who, what, when, where and why. While this style of writing is traditional and effective, it can sound stale after a while. A more contemporary approach to a breaking news article uses a narrative to deliver the news with an engaging voice and format.
A feature article explores a deeper aspect of an issue and can take a more analytical, investigative approach to the topic. Whether it’s an anecdotal account of a community hero or a piece on the rise of bail funds, this form allows reporters to examine larger issues behind an incident and provide more depth in the article. In either type of news writing, writers should be careful to carefully cite all sources. They should always avoid sensationalizing or biasing the content. They should also consider how their writing will appear on screen or in print when choosing the tone of their article.