What makes a good short-form news summary
A short news video answers three questions: what happened, why it matters and what comes next. The first line should state the main fact plainly; clickbait headlines that don't deliver make people swipe and, over time, stop trusting the account.
Forty-five to sixty seconds holds the fact, two or three points of context and the source. If the story is complex, a series (“what it is”, “what changes”, “who it affects”) beats one rushed video. Focusing on one beat (tech, business, sport, your city) helps the audience know what to expect.
Nobody can guarantee a video will go viral. And in news, speed should never come before accuracy: a mistake posted quickly spreads further than its correction.
Verification and ethics: what the AI won't do for you
The AI can misread a story, mix up figures or dates, or blend in outdated information. Check every fact against the original article and, for sensitive topics, a second source. Never put words in anyone's mouth: quote verbatim with a source, or paraphrase (“according to the government…”).
Credit the source in the video or its description, and summarise in your own words rather than reading the article out: news copy is copyrighted.
Vaideo's images come from free stock libraries or are AI-generated, so they aren't of the event. Don't generate realistic images of real people or of events that didn't happen that way, and replace any scene that could mislead. Also check whether the platform asks you to label realistic AI-generated content.
How to produce them with Vaideo
The most direct route is pasting the article URL: Vaideo reads the text, writes a summary script, narrates it with an AI voice in English or Spanish, finds images and builds the video with zoom, pan and animated captions. You can also type the topic and key facts into the prompt if you want control over what's covered. The Documentary style suits an informative tone; Minimal/Abstract works well for business or tech, where literal photos add little.
Ready-to-use prompts
“[Paste the article URL] Summarise this story in 50 seconds: what happened, why it matters and what's next. Credit the source at the end and don't add facts that aren't in the article”
Restricting the script to the article reduces the risk of made-up facts; still review it.
Use this prompt →“Explain in 60 seconds what the new housing law passed this week changes for renters, based on the official published information. Neutral tone”
The “what changes for you” format is useful and shareable. Add the official facts to the prompt yourself.
Use this prompt →“This week's 3 tech stories in 60 seconds, one key fact from each and its source. Minimal style”
A regular weekly roundup builds a viewing habit.
Use this prompt →Format
9:16
Length
45-60 s
Visual style
Documentary; Minimal/Abstract for business or tech
Voice
AI voice in English or Spanish; ask for a neutral, informative tone
Recommended settings
Step by step
- 1
Paste the URL or type the topic
Use the article URL, or give the topic with key facts and the source.
- 2
Choose 9:16 and language
Vertical for Shorts, Reels and TikTok, or 16:9 for a longer YouTube roundup.
- 3
Documentary style
Or Minimal/Abstract for business and tech.
- 4
Fact-check before posting
Check every fact and quote against the original source, and replace images that could mislead.
- 5
Post with the source credited
Download the MP4 or upload it to YouTube from Vaideo on the Unlimited plan, and link the source in the description.
Tips that make the difference
- ★State the main fact in the first line, with no misleading headline.
- ★Check every fact, figure and date against the original source.
- ★Never invent quotes or present paraphrases as verbatim.
- ★Always credit the source and summarise in your own words.
- ★Replace any image that looks like it's from the event but isn't.
Manual vs Vaideo
| Manual | Vaideo | |
|---|---|---|
| Script | You read the story and write the summary | AI summary from the URL, which you verify |
| Images | Licensed agency photos or your own footage | Illustrative free or AI-generated images |
| Captions | Added by hand | Animated and burned in automatically |
| Time per video | Half an hour to several hours | A few minutes plus fact-checking |
Frequently asked questions
Can I create the video from a news article URL?+
Yes. Paste the URL and Vaideo writes a summary script, narrates it and assembles the video. Always review the result before posting.
Can the AI get a news summary wrong?+
Yes: it can mix up figures, dates or nuance. Check every fact against the original source and fix the script before posting.
Are the images from the actual event?+
No. They come from free libraries (Unsplash, Wikimedia) or are AI-generated, and they're illustrative. Don't present them as photos of the event.
Can I use stories from other outlets?+
You can report the facts, crediting the source and summarising in your own words. Don't copy or read out the full article, as the text is copyrighted.
How long should a news video be?+
For Shorts, Reels or TikTok, 45-60 seconds is a good starting point. For weekly YouTube roundups, the Unlimited plan allows up to 10 minutes in 16:9 (a pack, up to 3).
In which languages?+
Narration can be in English or Spanish, with one natural AI voice per language.
How much does it cost?+
Free: 1 video a day up to 30 s in 720p, watermarked. One-off packs that never expire (5 videos for €5, 15 for €12, 40 for €25): each video up to 5 min in 1080p, no watermark. Unlimited (€39/month): unlimited videos (fair use), no queue, up to 10 min in 1080p, with direct YouTube upload and AutoPilot. Cancel any time.
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