A news flash is a short piece of breaking news that keeps radio or TV audiences up to date on topics that matter to them. It can be local, national or international and may include a mix of hard and soft news.
It interrupts programming and typically lasts for one to three minutes. It can be a story that is developing in real time, such as a fire or flood, but it can also be a pre-scheduled item such as an election result or interview with an expert. It is not the place to present opinion or analysis but instead should focus on conveying factual information.
The headline of a news flash is the first impression listeners will have of the article and should be attention-grabbing. A good headline should accurately and enticingly reflect what the news item is about, using a narrative hook or anecdote to catch the audience’s attention. It should then cite the source of the news item, following the inverted pyramid style by conveying the most important details at the top of the piece and adding supporting information as needed. It should also finish with a forward-looking element that shows how the subject will continue to affect the audience.
Because a newsflash is so short, it necessarily skates over some of the details; only major stories belong in this type of article. That means that a newsflash needs a strong lead to keep the reader interested in the rest of the information, which can be delivered in a straightforward way if the subject matter is hard or in a more engaging manner if it is a human interest story.