What Should Qualify As Legitimate Breaking News Among News Outlets?

[journalist3072]

So, I'm wondering what types of events should qualify as legitimate breaking news among the major news organizations?

I subscribe to Breaking News Alerts from all the majors (CNN, MNSBC, ABC, CBS).

This afternoon, I received a breaking news alert (via email) from many of them, about Mel Gibson's pleading "no contest" in his DUI case.

And I don't believe that an entertainer (even of Mel Gibson's fame) pleading no contest in a midemeanor DUI case qualifies as legitimate breaking news that they need to send me an email about.

So DU family, what say you?

What do you think should qualify as legitimate breaking news in today's society?

[Frustratedlady]

1. IMHO, Mel Gibson isn't it.

The initial arrest of Jon Benet's killer was enough. No need for all the others. As long as people are alerted to the fact the killer was caught, they can zero in on the stories from that point on.

[The Straight Story]

2. Fresh news to which people relate and desire to hear

We are an entertainment based society in SOME ways. We like to keep up on things which interest us. To me breaking news might be chess news :) but I am in the minority on that front.

News is a fickle thing. We might bitch about all the Mel Gibson news, but then come here to DU and we see a lot more of it then one might think we would. Polls, commentary, history, etc and so on.

I think the thing we need to keep in mind is that some news we can all relate to because of it's commonality.

We have all heard of mel gibson. In the Ramsey case while we have not all heard of them it made news because people tend to think of well off folks living in nice areas don't have the same problems us ghetto folks do. So when crap happens to them we hear about it, then tell em off because it seems the news only covers the tragedies of the rich and not the poor (ie, we expect the poor to have bad things happen to them, not the well off). There is a sense, I think perhaps, of justice. Like when we hear about a lotto winner who buys a sweet car and gets in a wreck and is messed up. My best friend died in a car accident and it was barely a blurb in local news. Had he been famous it would be national news (or had he just pulled off the lot with a ferrari after winning the lotto).

It is breaking news when it is happening or shortly thereafter. It is news on a national scale if they think a majority can relate.

Just my 2 cents.

[niyad]

3. darth cheney's sixth heart attack?

[mcscajun]

4. If Mel was charged with Murder, that would be breaking news.

Pleading no contest, or even guilty, to a MISDEMEANOR? NFW is that breaking news. At most, it merits a third or fourth story in the entertainment section of any respectable news outlet. Of course, we know how few news outlets merit respect these days...

[journalist3072]

5. I definitely agree with you, and that was my point

I just don't believe it qualifies as a legitimate breaking news alert that some hollywood producer/actor pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor.

It also irks me when they send breaking news alerts about someone winning some tennis ternament.

I think there should be a very high standard on what qualifies as legitimate breaking news.

[mcscajun]

6. I absolutely agree with you. Back in the day, a "Special Report"

shook you up the moment it was announced, 'cause it was bound to be something scary, serious, or sad and scary, sad and serious, but in any case, having national or worldwide impact.

Now, "Special Report" is just one more thing to change channels to get away from, and "Breaking News" more than likely to be nothing of the sort.

It's pathetic, really.

[journalist3072]

7. Exactly!!

When a special report comes on now, I will watch to see what it is, but I'm not shaking in my boots wondering what is going on, because it could be nothing earth shattering. And that's a sad commentary on the state of our news media today.