Breaking News

To write a breaking news story, your writing speed and attention to detail are crucial.  The bigger the story, the more time you need to spend gathering information and constantly moving around on the scene. 

• Make sure that you always carry a cell phone so anytime you find yourself in the midst of a news event, you can source witnesses, contact your editors, and shoot video/images. 

• Following a major breaking news event, it may be necessary to write a “follow-up” or a “second-day story” to further report on what happened. Thus, it is important to always be on top of your story and any updates that may arise. 

• Use short declarative sentences and an active voice

• Know who your readers are and tailor the lead to them. Don't sensationalize, but relate the news directly

1. Choose your breaking news story. If there is not already a card on Trello, immediately make one under the "Topic Ideas" section. 

2. “@” the news editors ASAP with a quick description of the topic.

3. Once the card is in “Writer Approved,” start by uploading a document and writing a 200-300 word brief on the who, what, where, when, why, and how. 

4. Slide the card into the "Ready for Section Editors" column, where the you and your Section Editors will go back and forth with corrections. 

5. Once the Section Editors are finished, your card will be sent over to the Editors-in-Chief who will begin the editing process all again.

6. Once the Editors-in-Chiefs are done with the article, they will either send it to Mr. McCranie or to the Ombudsman.  At this time, if you have any sources like admin or students, make sure to get your AACs done. 

7. Ms. McCranie with look through it and edit anything that was missed and the Ombudsman will make sure all the facts are correct and that they are still valid. 

8. Once done, it will be sent to “Ready to Upload” and will publish online or in print. 

1. A breaking news story has to be published as timely as possible, so find something that was released recently and make sure you are able to publish it before it becomes old news -- likely, that same day 

2. Try to relate to what the peers would want to read and learn about. Make sure articles are related to OPHS/OPUSD/Oak Park/California, and not something about what’s happening at other schools in other states.

3. Most importantly don’t stress so much about it, everything will be fine