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In television, breaking news refers to events that warrant a short break in regular programming or a live national network newscast to report on them. The break is usually marked by a special graphic or music cue, followed by a news anchor and/or a reporter. A breaking news event can last only a few minutes or for hours and even days. Depending on the severity of the story, it may be reported through an in-studio or satellite analyst, through video from remote locations, and/or with lower thirds or other graphics altered to convey urgency. Prior to the rise of 24-hour news networks, this type of interruption was reserved for extremely urgent matters such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy or severe weather events.
