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 audiences informed about issues that affect them directly. A well written newsflash starts with a compelling headline that accurately and enticingly reflects the story, followed by a lead that fleshes out the headline and cites 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.
As its name suggests, a newsflash is short—between one and three minutes long. Given its limited length, it has to skate over some details and only major stories belong here. Hence the need for a powerful lead that will grab readers and hold them. It can be achieved through narrative hooks and anecdotes, but it’s best to follow the inverted pyramid style: introduce the most important details first, then add more information and cite your sources.
Newsflashes can also give out practical information like traffic and weather or highlight something funny or humorous to entertain the audience (a kicker). They’re not to be confused with a bulletin, which features developed stories.