This document outlines the steps a news team should take when breaking news occurs: 1. Send a SMS alert with basic information to editors within 5 minutes. 2. Post a 1-2 sentence update to the website immediately in the "breaking news 1" section. 3. Schedule an email blast to subscribers with a link to the breaking news story on the website within 5 minutes. 4. Tweet a link to the story from brand accounts and include relevant hashtags. 5. Continue updating the story by making calls, adding quotes, photos, and background information. 6. Share the updated story on Facebook and Google+ pages.

1. BREAKING
NEWS
Be ready when it happens

2. WHAT IS ‘BREAKING’ NEWS?
• Fires
• Accidents
• Structure collapses
• Explosions
• Top officials getting fired/quitting
• Big lawsuits against towns/cities
• Big arrests
• High-profile local court cases

3. THE SMS ALERT
• Confirm the information
• Provide 1 sentence to your editor or the BNT
in New Haven – speed is key here
• Think 120 characters
-- or less

4. POSTING TO THE WEBSITE
• Get something up, immediately
• Enough with 1-2 sentences
• Info should be posted to line-up category
‘breaking news 1’ slot
• If unsure how to post, email your breaking
news to editor (or BNT in New Haven)
• Should be done within 5 min of SMS alert

5. SEND EMAIL BLAST
• Make sure story is posted in ‘Breaking News 1’ slot on front
page of site
• Visit engage.middletownpress.com/schedule-breaking
• LOGIN: middletownpress.com@simplyengage.com
• PW:
• Send to breaking news list – schedule – DONE
• Make sure you are signed up for this for MP site and that
emails are not landing in your spam folder

6. TWEETING THE NEWS
• Tweet a link to your breaking news story from
the brand account (Hootsuite, TweetDeck)
• Include the same basic information from the
SMS alert, leave room for shortened URL
• Add relevant #hashtags, i.e. #ctbreaking or
town names such as #Middletown, #Cromwell
• Retweet from your own Twitter account
and/or tag your own Twitter handle, if room

7. UPDATING THE STORY
• Make phone calls, add quotes
• Add background info, links
• Add photos, audio or video
• Think of it as working for a wire service

8. FACEBOOK, GOOGLE +
• Post to FB brand account
• Preferably when story has pic
(Hootsuite is good for picking
up pix added later on, FB slow)
• Interact – ask for comments
or photo submissions from event
• Share on your own Facebook wall
• Share story on Google + (brand and your own)

9. THE SIX BASIC STEPS
• SMS alert
• Website
• Breaking news email
• Twitter
• Update story, add photos, videos
• Facebook, Google +