Breaking news refers to the announcement of significant developments in real-time, such as natural disasters, accidents, political events, and public crises. Its urgency demands that journalists report breaking news immediately, without the benefit of extensive research or fact-checking that may be necessary for regular news reporting. As a result, journalists must consider ethical considerations when breaking news, such as the potential to spread misinformation or sensationalism.
It’s easy to fixate on the pain and anxiety of delivering bad news, but it’s important for the messenger to empathize with the recipient’s experience as well. The best messengers take the time to understand the recipient’s situation, history and stake in the conversation, and they do their homework — assessing their individual psychology, values and beliefs, strengths and vulnerabilities. Then, they prepare their message to be most compassionate and effective.
It’s also important for the messenger to avoid assuming the role of judge and jury in the situation. Studies show that recipients of bad news often “shoot the messenger,” a phenomenon that is rooted in our desire to make sense of the world around us. As a result, we tend to attribute malicious intent to innocent messengers, even if the underlying reality is quite different. For example, when someone tells you that they were let go from their job, it’s natural to assume that the boss was trying to be mean or a bully, when in reality, the decision might have been made for legitimate business reasons.
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