I was on CNN.com just now, and they have one of those banners at the top that says “Breaking News: An explosion has ripped through a Shiite holy site in Samarra, destroying the al Askariya “Golden Mosque.”” It’s so breaking that there’s not even a story yet, on CNN or anywhere else. That kind of scares me that I’m privy to such immediate information that nobody in the world has even had time to write a few paragraphs yet. They’ll probably even have a story up by the time this is posted, but I feel unnerved.
The breaking news banners and such always freak me out. I’m pretty sure they’re supposed to, and the lack of details usually makes it worse. (It probably just means they haven’t been able to confirm anything.)
Then again, it’s a bombing at what sounds like a major holy site in Iraq. That can’t be good.
I hate it when they have the banner for things that obviously aren’t life or death situations. I remember they once had “Breaking News: Boehner becomes Senate majority leader”. What the crap! If people aren’t dying, I can wait the five minutes for you to write the story. Chill out with the scary red.
Even better are the ones which are actually just a plug for something coming up later…“Breaking News: Whitehouse representative to make statement later today”
Right, exactly. I have that stress reaction no matter what, and it’s irritating to see it attached to a story that’s not that urgent. And especially on TV, they’ll leave the “Breaking News!” bells and whistles onscreen much longer than they need to.
Whenever I here the “news bulletin” music come on the radio, my immediate response is to panic. Oh my god, the balloon’s gone up! Head for the fucking hills! Oh why didn’t I stock up on bottled water?
Then it turns out to be about a lost puppy or something.
I remember when it was near the anniversary of the JFK assassination. There was a big banner ad (for some TV special) just above where the “Breaking News” always is. So I go to CNN.com and suddenly there’s a big graphic reading “PRESIDENT KENNEDY HAS BEEN SHOT!”.
Of course, the first things my eyes notice are “president” and “shot” and there was that split second where I was thinking, “Holy sweet mother of goat-felching FUCK!”
Then a split second where I was thinking, “Wait, Kennedy shot? Again?”
Then several minutes feeling like a dumbass and cursing whoever designed that ad. (I can’t recall if the background for the text was entirely red or just partially red, but there was red.)
On a sadder note, I also remember checking the site immediately after work one night and seeing as the lead story headline something like: “All Miners But One Found Alive!” And the breaking news said something like: “All miners but one dead, contrary to earlier reports.” That made me cringe.
I used to subscribe to the CNN Breaking News emails at work and if I had a long meeting, it could be pretty amusing. I’d get back to find various emails from over two hours from various sources and I’ll read them in order of reception:
10:23 AM CNN Breaking News: Gunman takes hostages in NY Hotel.
Me reading at 11:52 AM: Oh No!
11:06 AM CNN Breaking News: Police apprehend NY Gunman. No casualties reported.
Me reading at 11:53 AM: Thank god that’s over.
FWIW, MSNBC does the same thing.
My stars, but I do like CBC Radio. Last time they interrupted regular coverage for a special news bulletin, I think it was 9/11, or else that huge blackout in Ontario and the northeastern US.
The CBC. If we interrupt the arts report, you know some SHIT IS HAPPENING.
Well come on, this was clearly major news. Boehner resigned from the House, got elected to the Senate and won the Majority Leader spot in less than a day! That’s a huge achievement!