The stress of Breaking News

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By Skylar Wolfe

Covering breaking news accurately and in a timely manner is an extremely important part of the job of a reporter.

The term ‘breaking news’ implies the urgency of the message, and working under a deadline can be extremely stressful.

Not only does the information need to be published quickly, but there is no room for mistakes.

Publishing information hastily with an incorrectly spelled name, an incorrect location, or other information that is not confirmed can lead to panic and anger from readers.

The best way to overcome fears around covering breaking news is to practice usual reporting guidelines, including fact-checking and proof-reading.

As talked about in class, accuracy of information should never be compromised for speed.

Therefore, when a ’breaking news’ situation occurs, what seems best is to take a breath and allow usual reporting habits to take over.

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