dépêche

Dépêche is a French term with several related meanings tied to sending or transmitting information quickly. As a noun, dépêche (feminine) denotes a dispatch or message sent from one place to another, often by courier or telegraph. It can also refer to a short news item transmitted by a press agency to newspapers, radio, or television. The verb dépêcher means to dispatch or to send off quickly, and se dépêcher means to hurry oneself.

In journalism, a dépêche is a news item produced by a news agency and transmitted to subscribing outlets. A dépêche d’agence, or wire service dispatch, serves as a source that editors may reprint, paraphrase, or abridge. Dépêches are characterized by concise presentation and a focus on timeliness, reflecting their origin in rapid communication networks.

Historically, dépêche items arose from telegrams and other rapid methods of information transfer, emphasizing speed and direct transmission of facts. In contemporary media, dépêches can range from brief notes to longer reports, depending on the agency and editorial needs. They are often labeled with the agency name and dateline and may be used as the basis for local coverage or as stand-alone news items.

The word also appears in the titles of several French newspapers, notably La Dépêche du Midi, a regional publication whose name alludes to the original role of delivering rapid dispatches to readers. In English, the closest equivalents are dispatch or wire story.