NOT Breaking News

Tackling a pet peeve of many today... inappropriate use of the title "breaking news."

Knowing the appropriate priority with which to announce a story has a direct effect on credibility. When news sources overdramatize an issue, they risk "boy who cried wolf" syndrome.

Example: The Telegraph Herald shares the following story on Facebook with the lead-in "BREAKING NEWS."

Sears Hometown Store coming to Asbury Plaza 
Posted: Tuesday, March 4, 2014 2:28 pm | Updated: 2:30 pm, Tue Mar 4, 2014.

 TELEGRAPH HERALD | 1 comment

While some citizens may find this news interesting, it fails to qualify as breaking news. The topic is lacking immediacy and importance. Store openings or closings bring about questions of how it will affect the local economy and job market. These are questions to ponder and pursue as follow-up but there is nothing absolutely pressing about answering them.

Breaking news on television is an interruption in regular coverage. If you're disrupting the norm and demanding viewer attention, your reason better be something both timely and pertinent.

Worthy of breaking news lead-in:

• accidents (impacting traffic/caused fatalities/extensive collision) 
• people are waiting to hear (ex: court decisions)
• national importance
• imminent danger to readers (ex: boil order)
• deaths of prominent individuals
• updates to an ongoing investigation

NOT worthy of breaking news lead-in:

• celebrity news (unless you're an entertainment news source)
• odd/human interest stories
• topics that apply to few people

Eric Hutchinson, a successful pop singer, has begun his own personal campaign on this issue using Twitter. The target of his complaints is CNN. Hutchinson retweets stories and calls the news organization on overdramatization of story importance.

1/25/2014: "NOT BREAKING NEWS, CNN!!! RT @cnnbrk: Clif. elementary teacher allegedly laced food with pot at employee pot-luck dinner, police say."

1/19/2014: "NOT BREAKING NEWS, CNN!! RT @cnnbrk: Thieves with hammers make off about 65 Rolexes."

1/14/2014: "NOT BREAKING NEWS, CNN!!!!!!!!!!!! RT @cnnbrk: Authorities search pop star Justin Bieber's home in alleged egg-throwing incident."


Local news, take note.