Understand the Flash Briefing Skill

---

You can create a Flash Briefing skill to provide Alexa customers with news headlines and other short content. Typically, a Flash Briefing becomes a part of a customer's daily routine. A Flash Briefing provides a quick overview of news and other content such as comedy, interviews, and lists. A Flash Briefing skill provides content for a customer's Flash Briefing. The Flash Briefing Skill API defines the format of the content.

Customers discover and enable Flash Briefing skills in the Flash Briefing section under settings in the Alexa app, or by searching for "Flash Briefing" in the skills section of the app. Customers can also enable their favorite provider through voice, the first time they listen to a Flash Briefing.

When you create a Flash Briefing skill, you have a chance for your original content to reach customers daily. You can make updates to your content as often as every 15 minutes, but must update it at least daily. Alexa caches your content for optimal performance and minimal latency for customers.

Utterances

Flash Briefing skills use the pre-built voice interaction model. Customers can ask Alexa for their Flash Briefing by one of the following example utterances.

• Arabic (SA)
• Dutch (NL)
• English (All)
• French (All)
• German (DE)
• Hindi (IN)
• Italian (IT)
• Japanese (JP)
• Portuguese (BR)
• Spanish (All)

Who can create Flash Briefing skills for Alexa

You can create a Flash Briefing skill if you own, or have the right to distribute, original text or audio content that updates frequently. Any developer who understands web technologies and can configure HTTPS, RSS and/or JSON content can create a Flash Briefing skill. The voice interactions for a Flash Briefing skill are defined by Alexa, but you must be able edit the format of your content so that the Flash Briefing Skill API can understand it.

Get started with the Flash Briefing Skill API

You use the developer portal to provide the name, image, and description that appear in the skills list, and configure the feeds that populate your Flash Briefing skill with content.

The Flash Briefing skill submission process provides the steps to submit descriptive information about your skill and configure one or more feeds for each skill. You can then test your skill in your Alexa-enabled device and provide additional information about how you handle customer data and privacy. After you provide this information, you can submit your Flash Briefing skill for certification and use by customers.

Next steps to create a skill

To get started to create a Flash Briefing Skill, review the following topics:

• Tips for Creating a Great Flash Briefing Skill
• Steps to Create a Flash Briefing Skill
• Flash Briefing Skill API Feed Reference
• Flash Briefing Skill Certification Checklist
• Alexa Policy Guidelines

Related topics

• Use Alexa Skill Metrics Dashboard to Improve Smart Home and Flash Briefing Skill Engagement

---

---

Last updated: Feb 08, 2024