BREAKING

NEWSBe ready when it happens

WHAT IS ‘BREAKING’ NEWS?• Fires

• Accidents

• Structure collapses

• Explosions

• Top officials getting fired/quitting

• Big lawsuits against towns/cities

• Big arrests

• High-profile local court cases

THE SMS ALERT

• Confirm the information

• Provide 1 sentence to your editor or the BNT in New Haven – speed is key here

• Think 120 characters -- or less

POSTING TO THE WEBSITE

• Get something up, immediately

• Enough with 1-2 sentences

• Info should be posted to line-up category ‘breaking news 1’ slot

• If unsure how to post, email your breaking news to editor (or BNT in New Haven)

• Should be done within 5 min of SMS alert

SEND EMAIL BLAST• Make sure story is posted in ‘Breaking News 1’ slot on front

page of site

• Visit engage.middletownpress.com/schedule-breaking

• LOGIN: middletownpress.com@simplyengage.com

• PW:

• Send to breaking news list – schedule – DONE

• Make sure you are signed up for this for MP site and that emails are not landing in your spam folder

TWEETING THE NEWS• Tweet a link to your breaking news story from

the brand account (Hootsuite, TweetDeck)

• Include the same basic information from the SMS alert, leave room for shortened URL

• Add relevant #hashtags, i.e. #ctbreaking or town names such as #Middletown, #Cromwell

• Retweet from your own Twitter account and/or tag your own Twitter handle, if room

UPDATING THE STORY

• Make phone calls, add quotes

• Add background info, links

• Add photos, audio or video

• Think of it as working for a wire service

FACEBOOK, GOOGLE +

• Post to FB brand account

• Preferably when story has pic (Hootsuite is good for picking up pix added later on, FB slow)

• Interact – ask for comments or photo submissions from event

• Share on your own Facebook wall

• Share story on Google + (brand and your own)

THE SIX BASIC STEPS

• SMS alert

• Website

• Breaking news email

• Twitter

• Update story, add photos, videos

• Facebook, Google +