Title: What Is "Breaking News" in Journalism?
Headings: What Is a Breaking News Story?
What Is a Breaking News Story?
Characteristics and Professional Tips for Journalists
How to Cover Breaking News
Writing On Deadline

Content: Breaking news usually refers to events that are unexpected, such as a plane crash or building fire. How to Cover Breaking News
You're covering a breaking news story—a shooting, a fire, a tornado —it could be anything. Lots of media outlets are covering the same thing, so there's fierce competition to get the story first. But you also have to get it right. The problem is, breaking news stories are typically the most chaotic and confusing to cover. And too often, media outlets in a rush to be first end up reporting things that turn out to be wrong. For example, on Jan. 8, 2011, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was seriously wounded in a mass shooting in Tuscon, Ariz. Some of the nation's most respected news outlets, including NPR, CNN and The New York Times, wrongly reported that Giffords had died. And in the digital age, bad information spreads fast when reporters post erroneous updates on Twitter or social media. With the Giffords story, NPR sent out an e-mail alert saying the congresswoman had died, and NPR's social media editor tweeted the same thing to millions of Twitter followers. Writing On Deadline
In the age of digital journalism, breaking news stories often have immediate deadlines, with reporters rushed to get stories online.