A breaking news story is an event that occurs and requires immediate attention. These stories can be anything from a plane crash to a building fire. There is fierce competition for being first to report on these stories and journalists often try to be sensational in their coverage. Unfortunately, in the rush to be first reporters frequently get it wrong. Errors can be as simple as a miscommunication with an eyewitness or as complex as a false alarm like the one NPR sent out informing millions that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords had died.
To make a break in programming, a television or radio station will usually interrupt regular non-news programs with a special ticker that tells viewers what is happening and where to find more information. Until the advent of 24-hour news networks, programs would typically be interrupted only for extremely urgent events such as severe weather or a national disaster.
Some of the best resources for breaking news stories are online. Almost every major newspaper website has a section for breaking news. Many of these websites also have live feeds of their main newsrooms. In addition, a variety of other online sources of breaking news include social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as blogs. Some websites have dedicated breaking news sections with staff assigned to that responsibility. Other websites may use a specialized scrolling lower third that highlights selected breaking news stories during regularly scheduled programming.
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