A newsflash is a quick update on a breaking story. It interrupts a radio or TV programme to tell listeners that a significant new piece of information has just come in, and that they can expect a fuller report to be broadcast later on. A newsflash should be short and to the point, focusing on facts first and foremost rather than analysis. It is not a place to announce stories that will be developed at great length in the midday or evening bulletins (this would belong in the newscast itself).
The most important part of a newsflash is its lead, often called the lede, which has to catch attention and entice readers to look into the article. The best way to do this is by telling a narrative anecdote. This approach catches readers’ interest and hints at the more weighty argument and evidence that will be presented later in the piece.
After the lead comes the nut graph, which ties together all the different points of fact and opinion in the newsflash to create an overview of its significance and direction. This is where a good journalist makes the most difference in the overall quality of an article, and should follow the inverted pyramid style of presenting facts in order of importance.
When writing a newsflash, it is also important to use the technique of “show, don’t tell”. Instead of simply recounting what happened (telling), journalists should try and give an impression of what it was like for people involved in an event. For example, instead of saying that Johnny was tired after running up the hill, say how his legs were aching and he was breathing heavily.
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