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Breaking news is a term used by television and radio news networks to refer to events that merit immediate, urgent coverage. A breaking news story may cause a national network to interrupt its regular programming to run the full report or, as was common before 24-hour news channels existed, it may prompt affiliate stations to interrupt their own programming in order to broadcast the news at the time it is happening. Depending on the event, breaking news reports can last only a few minutes or may go on for hours, days, and even weeks. Such reporting is often done through the use of a special graphic with its own music cue (known as a Newsflash or Special Report) and lower thirds or other graphics that are altered to convey a sense of urgency. The news story itself is often followed by analysis and/or a live feed from the scene of the event.
