The alleged gunman opened fire at The Comedy Zone in Charlotte on Saturday night, police said.
The phrase “breaking news” is used interchangeably with other terms, including late-breaking news, special report, and news flash. The term usually refers to a story that is of the highest significance at the moment and may have wide appeal for viewers. However, it has been diluted in recent years because news organizations often use breaking news to fill time and bury a story that may not have much significance at the time. As a result, the phrase is now redundant, and is used for stories that are not breaking news at all.
Breaking news can interrupt programming, particularly new shows and highly rated shows. Breaking news can also interrupt highly-rated programs with little time left on the air. In the case of ABC’s April 2017 Shayrat missile strike, a Scandal episode was interrupted. As a result, it is necessary for local stations to have a plan for this eventuality. Fortunately, there are many ways to avoid breaking news in prime time.
The most common way that breaking news can be covered is on a 24-hour news channel. While the 24-hour news channels have a 24 hour news cycle, breaking news is often interrupted for dramatic reasons. For instance, the assassination of John F. Kennedy was one of the earliest instances of programming interruptions, with Walter Cronkite’s coverage especially memorable. However, a break in coverage is not necessarily a signal to abandon the show.
