A news flash is a brief piece of breaking news that keeps your audience updated about events occurring in their local area, their country or even the world. It’s a way to get your viewers in the know about issues that might affect them and also helps them stay engaged with your program.
A good newsflash starts with an attention-grabbing headline that accurately and enticingly reflects what the story is about. Then, follow with a nut graph, which adds context and explains why this issue matters to your audience.
You should also cite the source of your information in your newsflash. This is important for credibility and will give your reader confidence that you are presenting a factual account of the topic at hand. Finally, you should include a forward-looking element that shows your readers how this news item will continue to have relevance in the future.
Because newsflashes are typically between one and three minutes long, they have to skate over the details. Only major stories belong in this type of article, so you have to get straight to the point. This is not the place for an opinion, analysis or even practical info like traffic or weather.
As with a regular op-ed or essay, the first paragraph of your newsflash is critical. Use a narrative lede to introduce your story by introducing the main players and setting the scene — eight California high schoolers with the same last name pull off a witty stunt.