Well actually that’s not really breaking news: but we are Beech Hill are excited. (Thanks to WigWam for all their hard work creating the site)
But Breaking News has been in the news this week…mainly because just like a new website or blog, most breaking news isn’t really breaking….and much of it isn’t news!
CNN has announced it plans to dump or at least reduce the phrase Breaking News. Their new top news execx Chris Licht has declared the end to the red flashing lights and music fanfare that’s been a constant punctuation of the channel for years.
The decision is a rare one – one that will probably change a whole industry in just a single move. Others will surely follow across the globe.
As Fred Jacobs wrote in the brilliant Jacobs Media Strategy blog:
“In one fell swoop, CNN is serving notice they are slashing the hype, the bombast, and the overheated narrative… If everything is “breaking,” then nothing stands out or captures the consumer attention.”
And that’s good news…..
Having worked in broadcast news for three decades much of the time at international rolling news channels the use of the phrase is totally valueless to the audience in most cases
At Beech Hill we specialise in communications with purpose and leadership. As the world’s news leader VNN is right to reduce the use of the phrase.
News channels need a suite of tools and graphics to guide the audience through the lifespan of a story. Yes, a major story ‘breaks’ but it also gets updated, and develops, and needs analysis.
How about:
Breaking News for the big stories
Happening Now for live events – which might become breaking news depending on what happens
News Updates for errrrr you guessed it, updates on major stories
And I’d be keen to hear your thoughts on other ideas – please use the comments section
I’d like to see CNN and others work on helping the audience understand the story at all stages, what’s new? What’s been corrected? To explain and analyse.
In a world where social media is breakneck and Twitter is a primary news source, then trusted news brands have a different purpose. Yes to make sure the story is broken in the first place, but then to sort the facts, report the facts, and help the audience by delivering thorough analysis that underpins the story and how it (might) affect them.
It’s the same for any story – or workplace communications – facts are needed to fill the information vacuum and reduce rumour and speculation.
The message needs to be tailored – clear, calm, and reasoning explained. It’s the basics of good practice.
I’m sure we will return to this subject in the months ahead to see how CNN handles this change and if others follow. but for the sake of the viewer this is a positive.
I was watching a news channel last week that used a breaking news strap over helicopter pictures of London’s Houses of Parliament ahead of a major vote. The problem? Well, the vote was over an hour away. Hardly anything breaking….certainly not news.