Newsdesk
To report a breaking story, traffic update or something else local, relevant and important – you can email or send pictures to:
newsdesk@thebplbible.co.uk
You can also text or what’s app 07562 269 826 and we can call back if available / appropriate. This number is not always staffed.
What Qualifies as breaking news?
Anyone at any-time can become an eyewitness – and most people have camera phones. First you must always ensure your own safety.
Once you think you are a safe distance away you can start to capture images or video of the scene that’s unfolding before you. This can help give context to what you might want to report later on.
Not all incidents qualify as news or are in the public interest. It’s not always clear – but if in doubt – check it out. From a safe distance try to get a picture of the response to the situation. It can help with obtaining official statements from emergency services at a later date. Try not to single anyone out in a photograph unless you think it might help police or the reporter/editor later on. It can help a journalist to have as many images of the scene or action as possible along with video clips to give context to the scenes when re-telling your story accurately to the public.
But as mentioned before – not all emergency responses are news… For example – a medical episode suffered by a shopper in the high street wouldn’t be classified as news – News must not only be new – but in some way relevant to the intended audience. Ambulances attending addresses without accompaniment by other emergency services isn’t really what we class as breaking news.
Another type of job would be what we class as a concern for welfare – unless police appeal for help locating someone – we often don’t join in with concern for welfare type missing persons jobs unless we can obtain permission directly from the closest living relative.
Examples of breaking stories that would be worth following up are (but not limited to)
- Police emergency response to an incident.
- Immediate threat to public safety
- Road blocked because of an incident / crash
- Coastguard or lifeboat activity
- Pipe burst or sink hole appeared / unscheduled roadworks
- Fire service attending with blue lights on
- Issues with public transport or routes
- Supermarket or shopping centre suddenly evacuated
- Unsafe structures and weather related damage to property or infrastructure
- Localised power outages
- Sudden weather events
- Anything urgent and concerning to the wider public
Any other types of news can be reported by text or email but might not be followed up on immediately.
Post in our groups
You can join and post about your story in Blackpool Community Chat on Facebook.
You can post your own Traffic News in Our Facebook Group
You can also send us pictures and video on our facebook page but it’s better to send by email. We are only volunteers and do not guarantee an immediate response.
To send us video in high quality – we recommend you use a service like WeTransfer who will let you send up to 2GB. You will need to put our email address as well as yours into their website to use this external service. We will get a notification when the files are ready for us to download.
Alternatively – please use the form below to get in touch.
We have a number of community reporters and photographers who can attend incidents on the Fylde Coast as well as public events, activities of public interest etc.
If you would like to hire a photographer for your event please contact us to arrange a booking.
We can also offer writing, on-line brand management, ad-itorial content and advertising services.
If you want to support the work we do in our local community you can click HERE to support us.
You can subscribe for updates to your inbox HERE
Feedback and contact form
If you’d like to give us some feedback on what we’ve been doing – suggest something you think we should be doing – please use this form below to send us the details including your phone number in the message section if you require us to call you back.
Alternatively text or what’s app – or call us on 07562 269 826 (not always answered – linked to what’s app)
