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Breaking News

Breaking News. Comm2315.wordpress.com. How to cover. Make sure you have your pen, notebook and recorder all in hand. Breaking news is exactly that – breaking so you want to get there quick – as soon as possible. Then report it as soon as possible. What is considered breaking? .

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Breaking News

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  1. Breaking News Comm2315.wordpress.com

  2. How to cover • Make sure you have your pen, notebook and recorder all in hand. • Breaking news is exactly that – breaking so you want to get there quick – as soon as possible. • Then report it as soon as possible.

  3. What is considered breaking? • Death of a prominent leader or entertainer. • Death of a prominent person. • A decision made by politicians that has a significant effect on the general public. • A controversial decision made by politicians or courts. • High profile court cases. • Fires, shootings and major accidents. • Anything that involves the U.S. Marshalls, Texas Rangers or SWAT.

  4. What to do in the event of breaking news. • In the words of The Hitchhiker’s Guide the Galaxy – “Remain Calm and Don’t Panic.” • If you need to go somewhere let your editors know about the breaking event. • Get as much information about the event/incident as you can within a 5 minute time frame. • Head out and remember – don’t panic.

  5. When you get there… • Park where you are allowed to park. Don’t think just because you’re the media you can park Anywhere – this will result in consequences. • Make sure you have your press pass. This will gain you quicker access to an event sometimes. • Have your notepad, pen and recorder ready and an extra set of batteries.

  6. What to do… • If it’s an event – be respectful to other media outlets that are there. But if they are being pushy push back – You don’t want to be left behind in a sea of cameras – so elbow your way to the front. • Let the politician or spokesperson speak, let them have their say. • Take notes and get your questions ready. • Once their done – Start asking questions. • Don’t let them get away with – “We only have two minutes for questions…” Keep them there as long as you can.

  7. What to do… • After they leave, try to catch them on their way out if you don’t have all your questions answered. • Make sure you get their number if for some reason they are in a hurry. • In this day and age of twitter – Tweet what just occurred. • Tweet what was said. • And Then go back to your car and send an online update. This can be done via text or through dictation.

  8. What now? • When does breaking news occur? • NO set time. It’s breaking. • This means it can happen when you first get into work or just as you are about to leave and you have just finished revising your story. • Because the life of a journalist is not based on an 8-hour work day – if something breaking happens that could affect a story you were about to turn in – Then you have to chuck that story out the window and report on the new NEWS. This can change your story completely.

  9. What now? • Once you have the information you may have all day to refine your story or just an hour. • Either way you have to make use of this new information and get as much feedback as you can from it within the hour. • The information – though rapidly gathered – must be accurate. • Don’t report what you don’t know for sure is a fact.

  10. What to do? • If officials don’t get back to you by the FINAL deadline – be fair and write: “Officials did not return calls for comment late Thursday.” • Also, if it’s a story that breaks at the end of the day – make it a point to point it out on your story. • After all many of these officials had ALL day to tell you this information. REMEMBER they CHOOSE to tell you at the end of the day so it’d be difficult for you to do a full and in depth story. So teach them a lesson and don’t let them get away with it.

  11. Examples of breaking news: • San Elizario ISD cheating scandal. • El Paso Fire and Police Pension Fund resignation. • EPISD resignation of Lorenzo Garcia -> This one happened at 10:30 p.m. – half an hour before the paper went to the presses.

  12. The pros and cons of breaking news • It’s stressful. • It’s an adrenaline rush. • And yet if you have it out first – it’s rewarding.

  13. How to act. • Be tactful. • Be firm. • Be polite. • Don’t back down. • Don’t try to make chit chat with the people – this is breaking news not a feature or a nice daily. Say “Hey how you doin?” Then move on and get to the good stuff.

  14. Assignment for Thursday • Watch and read the news this week – and see if anything (local or national) comes out that is breaking News. • Take some notes on it. And make sure you mention what time it was reported at. • Bring your breaking news to class and we will discuss it on Thursday.

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