5NEWS Closings Policy

Posted on: 3:21 pm, February 12, 2013, by Alicia Agent, updated on: 03:23pm, February 20, 2013

When severe weather moves into our area, 5NEWS will keep you informed on-air and online, through 5NEWSonline.com, and our social media platforms.

If you need to list a school closing, please call the newsroom at (479) 783-1191 and confirm your closing with your password. If you are in need of a password, please call during normal business hours and we will set up your account.

What we will list on-air and on 5NEWSonline.com:

K-12 Schools & Colleges (public & private)
Major Businesses (large employers, county courthouses & agencies, public offices, etc.)
Road Closings and Public Safety Information
Cancellations of Major Events (200 or more attendees)
Other Items, at our editorial discretion

Due to the advent of social media, 5NEWS has revised its policy regarding reporting of closings. We will no longer list closings for daycares, doctor’s offices, churches or cancellations of small group meetings. There are now numerous ways for such organizations to communicate information to their clients and staff.

We recommend that daycares consider following the decision of the local school system in your area and communicate that information in advance to your clients and staff. Another suggestion is to post closings information on your own website. You could also set up an email distribution to notify impacted individuals. And, you can use your own Facebook page or Twitter feed to communicate necessary information.

If we don’t implement limits, the number of closings quickly becomes too large to be effective on-air or on 5NEWSonline.com when severe weather happens. We appreciate your understanding and we welcome questions and feedback to our policy. Please email us at news@kfsm.com