A news flash is a short piece of breaking news that informs listeners on issues they care about. It can be about local, national or international topics and is an effective way to keep audiences informed on matters that affect them directly. A good news flash starts with a compelling lead, which is the first paragraph that encapsulates what the story is about in an enticing and attention-grabbing manner. It is the anchor for the entire article and should use a narrative hook, a relevant anecdote or even a visual element to draw readers into the subject and keep them listening until the end of the newsflash. The next part of the article, known as the nut graph, should then flesh out the lead with more details and add context to show why the topic is significant. A good nut graph should also include a forward-looking element to demonstrate that the issue is likely to impact people in some way in the future.
A good news flash should also follow the inverted pyramid style by putting the most important information at the top and then revealing more detailed facts as you move down the article. It should also cite its sources and be written in third person, as opposed to using first or second person, unless there is a compelling reason for doing otherwise.
Finally, a good news flash should include a byline and place line to clarify who wrote it. It should also use a full name on first reference, rather than just an initial if the person is well known, and avoid using nicknames or pet names, unless they are widely used and the audience knows them.
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