A news flash is an urgent announcement interrupting regular programming to report something important happening right now. When a television show suddenly cuts away and an anchor appears to say “We interrupt this program with a breaking news flash,” it means something significant just happened that can't wait for the next scheduled newscast.

The term comes from when radio and television were the fastest ways to spread urgent information. News organizations would flash important updates to audiences immediately, interrupting whatever show was on. During major events like natural disasters, historic achievements, or critical government announcements, networks would break in with a news flash so people could learn about developments as they unfolded.

People also use the phrase sarcastically when stating something obvious, as in: “News flash: you still need to study even if the test is open book.” This usage playfully treats common knowledge as if it were urgent breaking news, usually to make a point about something someone should already know.

Today, with smartphones and social media, information spreads instantly in many ways. But the term news flash still captures that feeling of sudden, important information arriving when you least expect it.