A news flash is a short piece of breaking news that keeps your audience updated on topics that affect them. They can be local, national or international and can include a mix of hard and soft news. A good newsflash starts with a compelling headline that accurately and enticingly conveys what the story is about. It follows the inverted pyramid style of journalism by introducing the most important details first, with more supporting information added later. It also cites its sources and finishes with a forward-looking element that shows how the topic will continue to be relevant in the future.
A key thing to remember is that a newsflash is not the place to bring your opinion on the subject matter, it’s just an opportunity to relay facts about what is happening in the world right now. It’s also quite brief – typically only 6-10 news items can be broadcast within a three minute time frame so you will have to skate over some of the detail – only major stories belong in this type of article.
A compelling lead is essential, as this is your chance to catch people’s attention and entice them to listen further. The best way to do this is through a descriptive anecdote that simultaneously captures readers’ interest and explains why the subject matters (eg eight California high school students with the same name pull off a witty stunt, or flames engulf a bakery). If you don’t hook your reader here you risk losing them before they get further into the article.