A story that is occurring immediately and requires immediate attention from the news media. Breaking news may be related to a natural disaster, accident, political event or other serious situation that is developing quickly and needs immediate reporting.
Unlike regular news coverage, breaking news can often be updated continuously with new information as events unfold. This urgency requires journalists to report on the developments as they happen, rather than following a planned schedule. This also means that the initial reporting may not be complete or accurate. For example, if a person dies in a shooting and a journalist has not witnessed the incident firsthand, they must rely on eyewitness accounts and other sources to report what they know. In some cases, these reports are inaccurate and lead to erroneous speculation that can become public before the facts are confirmed.
Bad news can occur in any number of situations: a client cancels a project, a home inspection or appraisal comes back with deal-breaking information, or an offer falls through on a house. Whatever the scenario, it is up to the messenger to deliver the news in an effective and respectful manner that keeps the client’s trust intact.
The best messengers lean into the difficult conversation and consciously choose to honor the responsibility created by the situation. They don’t treat the news as an obstacle to be avoided, but instead as an opportunity to work together toward a bigger objective. In this way, they help their clients create meaning out of suffering and ultimately make good things happen.
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