Practical guide
How to make a five-minute news brief
Design to a reading budget. Put a short rundown first, expand only the few developments that change understanding or action, and keep source links and exclusions outside the time limit but within reach.[1][2]
Why this gets difficult
A five-minute brief cannot succeed by shrinking every story equally. It must make disciplined choices about what changed, what the reader needs, and what can safely remain in the list of what Scottie read.[1][2]
A practical way through
- Set the reader's priorities, delivery window, and maximum number of full items.[1][2]
- Cluster repeated coverage before ranking and count a shared story once.[1][2]
- Write the changed fact, why it matters, and the most useful concrete detail.[1][2]
- Leave low-priority material in the list of what Scottie read rather than padding the edition.[1][2]
An example
The situation: Fifty overnight items collapse into six stories, but only three affect the reader's projects, city, or decisions.[1][2]
What changes: The rundown names all meaningful changes, three stories receive full treatment, and the remaining items Scottie read stay linked by topic.[1][2]
What you get: The brief fits the five-minute promise without pretending the intake contained only three items.[1][2]
What to watch for
Sources worth keeping
How Scottie helps
Scottie can deliver an Executive brief or quick links with descriptions from the reader's chosen sources, with the complete list of what Scottie read available when five minutes is not enough.[3]