A news flash is a short piece of breaking news that updates your audience on events they need to know about. It can be local, national or international and is a great way to keep your audience informed on important issues.
Newsflashes typically run between one and three minutes. They are a part of your bulletin but differ in that they only consist of copy and do not feature headlines or a picture. It is also not the place to bring opinion or analysis of the issue at hand; instead, you are delivering facts to your audience that need to be known.
Because of its shortness, a newsflash is forced to skate over some details – only major stories belong here. This is why it’s important to start with a compelling lead. It is your chance to grab readers’ attention and entice them to continue listening to your full article. The best way to do this is by using a narrative hook or anecdote that simultaneously captures your reader’s interest and piques their curiosity about the subject matter. You can then flesh this out with the inverted pyramid style introducing the most important details and subsequently adding supporting information and citing your sources.
A nut graph can then be used to add context and explain the bigger picture, showing why this particular news item matters and which direction it is likely to go in. Finally, a final paragraph that offers forward-looking insight or prediction can conclude the newsflash and set the tone for your next broadcast.