High school media staffs need to set up a protocol for covering breaking news online. Here's a guide to help you do that.

1. 
Breaking news online (on time)
13 tips to guide your staff in preparing a breaking news protocol
Michelle Balmeo (@michellebalmeo)
Adviser, El Estoque
Monta Vista High School

2. What would you do?
 A friend on the girls water polo team calls to tell
you that they all received a phone call that their
coach died suddenly last night.
 You see postings on Facebook from various
students indicating that the coach did, in fact, die.
 You contact your adviser, who received an email
from the principal stating that the coach suffered a
massive heart attack after the basketball game the
night before and did not recover.

3. 1. Investigate rumors, but don’t print
them.

4. 
2. Fact check your sources.
 A friend on the girls water polo team calls to
tell you that they all received a phone call that
their coach died suddenly last night.
 You see postings on Facebook from various
students indicating that the coach did, in fact,
die.
 You contact your adviser, who received an
email from the principal stating that the coach
suffered a massive heart attack after the
basketball game the night before and did not
recover.
 enough?
 enough?
 enough?

5. 3. It’s okay to wait, but publish what
you know as fact when you know it.

6. 4.Work as a team, but have a command
center. Communicate frequently.

7. 
5. Let questions drive coverage.

8. 
6. Be prepared to think on your feet.

9. 
7.Tell your sources you’re on
deadline.Widen what you think of as
“sources.”
Students received a phone call at around 7:15 a.m. on Dec. 13
informing them to stay home from school due to a bomb threat at
MVHS. According to an interview conducted by KTVU Channel 2
News with Lieutenant Rick Sung of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s
Office, the sheriff’s office received a report around 6:40 a.m.
regarding graffiti at Lynbrook High School that included a specific
threat against a specific teacher and that a bomb was planted at
MVHS.
“We sent our own bomb detection canine unit as well as asked for
the assistance of our neighboring law enforcement agencies to get
their canines,” Sung said. “So currently we have three different
canine units that are working in conjunction to locate any and all
suspicious packages.”

10. 8. Use whatever platform you have.
Match media to story.

11. 
9. Keep your adviser in the loop.
Seriously. I’m begging you on your adviser’s behalf.

12. 
9. Keep your adviser in the loop.

13. 10. Follow the story to the end, then
revisit and follow-up.

14. 11. Promote your content
professionally.

15. 12. Be transparent about updates and
corrections.

16. 13. Interact with your readers. Answer
their questions with speed, accuracy.

17. Develop a system BEFORE it happens
 Who do reporters contact if they hear something?
 What role do editors play?
 How do stories get assigned out?
 What’s the editing process?
 Who posts the content to the site?
 When do you start? And stop?

18. What would you do?
 7:25 am: An automated message goes to all
students and teachers by phone. It states that
school has been cancelled due to an emergency
situation that compromises the safety of students.
 An unidentified man has shot several people at a
cement factory near the school. He is still on the
loose and police are searching for him.

19. What would you do?
 8 am: The man shot a woman at a nearby grocery
story in an attempted hijacking. He was
unsuccessful and has left on foot.
 Students and teachers who did not receive the
message in time have been kept at the school in
lockdown.
 No further message has gone out to students.

20. What would you do?
 9 am: County sheriff's department sends an
automated message to all households with a
description of the suspect. The message asks all
residents to be on the lookout for the gunman.
 11:20 am: Superintendent sends an automated
phone message asking all students to remain at
home until further notice.
 4:15 pm: The schedule for the remainder of the
week is released by the school. Students will have
school the next day.

21. What would you do?
 9:44 am: Police shoot and kill the suspect in the
neighboring town.

22. Contact me
Michelle Balmeo
Adviser, El Estoque
elestoque.org
Monta Vista High School
Cupertino, Calif.
@michellebalmeo
balmeo@gmail.com
michellebalmeo.wordpress.com