Typically, local stations will break away from the network’s newscast to provide their own coverage of breaking events. Occasionally, this may require programming pre-empted from sister stations or digital subchannels to join the coverage in progress.Spoilers
A breaking news story is an event of unexpected or novel significance. It may also involve a high profile figure or a cause with significant public support.
What Happened?
If a story breaks during the daytime or late-night schedule, local newscasts will break away from network feed and run their own reports (or if a station is owned by a broadcasting company, may be joined by sister stations and digital subchannels). Usually, after the breaking news report is over, a lower third graphic rolls to remind viewers that regular daytime or late-night programming will be re-joined in progress, and the network’s website will provide more information.
However, sometimes the “BREAKING NEWS” label is misused. For example, TMZ assigned the tag to the death of Dick Clark, even though the news was well-known at that point. The use of “BREAKING NEWS” needs to be more closely controlled, especially on cable networks and in the blogosphere.
Who Was Arrested?
The incident was caught on camera during a live broadcast of CNN’s New Day, and it caused outrage among viewers. The clip showed a CNN reporter being arrested while on air, prompting many to take to Twitter in protest. The reporter, Omar Jimenez, was covering ongoing protests in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while in police custody.
In the video, Jimenez is seen reporting from in front of a line of state troopers. He clearly identifies himself as a journalist and tells the officers that he can move “wherever they would like” to get out of their way, before being told he’s under arrest by an officer in riot gear and then led away in handcuffs.
According to a statement from the state police, troopers were clearing the area around Lake Street and Snelling Avenue when they encountered the CNN crew. Jimenez was wearing a protective mask while filming, which alerted the authorities to his presence.
State Governor Tim Walz called CNN president Jeff Zucker and apologized for the troopers’ arrest of Jimenez and his crew. He said he was working to get them released, and took full responsibility for the incident.
The family of slain I-TEAM worker Jared Bridegan hasn’t commented on the latest development, though Kirsten Bridegan has been vocal in her desire to see those involved held accountable. She recently told the I-TEAM that she hopes the investigation into the shooting will not be compromised by a political agenda.
What’s Next?
The CW has picked up Season 2 of its crime anthology "Accused" and added a second season to the newsroom drama "Alert." Both series are from Howard Gordon. Carla Kettner ("The Blacklist," "Bones") has been tapped to serve as showrunner for both seasons.
There’s no question that linear TV is losing millions of subscribers each year to streaming. But, for some, it’s still alive. "Linear will definitely be smaller in three years, but it will exist," Netflix CCO Bela Bajaria tells CNBC. She believes sports and news will keep it going, even as its quality goes down and costs go up for coveted programming rights.
Marketing leaders from Paramount, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Graham Media and Grass Valley will discuss how they’re monetizing local content with new technologies in a TVNewsCheck Working Lunch webinar on Oct. 25 at NAB Show New York. Register here. Richard Watson is a London-based futurist speaker and scenario thinker who helps organisations to think about societal trends that create opportunities and risks. He has written five books on the topic and has given more than 400 talks worldwide.
What Can We Do?
Last year Samsung, LG and TCL made big news with their OLED TVs, which scored very well in CR’s ratings. This year, the companies continue to make iterative improvements in their OLED lineups, while also expanding into lower-priced LCD/LED sets and jumbo screen sizes. Hisense, meanwhile, is splitting its focus between conventional TVs and its growing line of short-throw laser projectors for custom installation. We’ll keep you updated with any new developments in 2023. CR has digital ratings and reviews of more than 250 TVs, including 4K and 8K sets with HDR and AI features. Get access to them all with a digital subscription.
