Breaking news is an event that’s developing in real-time. It could be a shooting, a fire, or even something as mundane as a traffic accident. It’s the kind of story that everybody wants to be first to cover, which leads to fierce competition among media outlets to get the scoop. But in a rush to be the first, too many journalists end up reporting things that turn out to be wrong. This is especially true of breaking news stories involving people, which are often the most chaotic and confusing to cover.
When a breaking news event occurs, the usual practice is to interrupt regularly scheduled programming and display an alert crawl on the bottom of the screen. This is often accompanied by a distinctive music cue, and may be preceded by a countdown sequence that allows network affiliates to switch over to the breaking news feed.
If the event is serious enough, an anchor will usually come on-air to report on it. If the breaking news involves severe weather, a special bulletin may be added to the regular weather forecast. In recent years, some broadcasters have started using “Special Report” tickers to cover breaking news events during their regularly scheduled programming, lessening the need for program interruptions and cut-ins.
It’s important for journalists to follow the same rules of breaking news as any private citizen, namely to never assume anything without confirmed evidence. Eyewitness accounts are very valuable, but they can be misleading in the chaos of a disaster. It’s also essential to check facts with official sources, as NPR did when it reported that Giffords had died.