The news flash is a short piece of breaking news that interrupts radio or television broadcasts and updates the audience on current events. It can be local, national or international and is an excellent way to keep the audience informed on topics that affect them. A good news flash starts with an attention-grabbing headline that accurately and enticingly captures the main subject of the article. Then, it should follow the inverted pyramid style by introducing the most important facts first and then giving more detail, citing sources and finishing with a forward-looking element to show how the topic will continue to be relevant.
The most common place for a newsflash is at the top of the newscast, highlighting major events in a quick and accessible way. However, it can also be used to announce a story that will be developed at greater length in the midday or evening newscast (to promote the journalistic work of the newsroom). It is not the place to give opinions on the topic but only to present facts.
A newsflash has a maximum of copy duration of around three minutes, which makes it necessary to skate over the details; only the major stories belong in this kind of article. Often, it is only about headlines and there are no pictures to illustrate the article. For this reason, it is important to use a strong lead that encapsulates the main subject in a creative way, using a narrative hook or anecdote.
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