The Broadcast News Toolkit : Inside the Digital Newsroom

The Broadcast News Toolkit focuses on the writing, shooting, and production of broadcast news across multimedia platforms in a non-technical and visually engaging way. Covering a range of different story forms in broadcast news (RDR, FS, VO, VO/SOT, PKG, and Liveshots), this book illustrates basic audio/video shooting and editing techniques through straightforward examples, including online video tutorials that can be accessed via a QR code within the book. Specific issues relating to online content, social media, and audience engagement are discussed in detail, and the authors further explore why trust in news media is declining, the impact that fake news and deep fake videos have on media credibility in newsrooms, and what can be done to increase the perceived credibility of the news. Students will also learn how to write leads and teases that will keep viewers engaged. This is an ideal text for undergraduate and graduate students of Broadcast and Multimedia Journalism who are looking for a clear and concise guide to the modern digital newsroom. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Contents Dedication and Acknowledgments 1. Broadcast Newswriting Rules: Writing for the Ear Say Goodbye to the Inverted Pyramid Format Conversational Writing Short, Simple, Sentences Get the And Out of There Eliminating Commas Using Contractions Writing in the Active Voice Dates and Days of the Week Months Numbers Symbols Addresses Ages Abbreviations Acronyms Attribution Quotations A Timing Tip 2. Credibility and Trust in the Media Fake News Deep Fake Videos Trust and Credibility Trust Definition Credibility Definition Why People Don't Trust the News Ways to Improve Trust and Credibility Transparency Process Box Trust IndicatorsTM Television Newsroom Structure Notes 3. Finding Compelling Story Ideas Newsworthiness Timeliness Proximity Conflict Significance/Impact Prominence Unusual/Human Interest Where to Find News Stories Agency News Localize a National Story Media News Releases Talk to People in Your Area Identify a Problem or Need in Your Community Events School Stories Seasonal Stories Anniversaries of Events Use Your Eyes and Ears Rankings & Research Interview Newsmakers or Prominent People Tell the Story of Someone Special Contacts Competitive News Outlets Good Visuals Social Media The Changing Media Landscape Notes 4. Great Leads and Tantalizing Teases Two Main Types of Broadcast Leads Hard Lead The Soft Lead Top Ten Tips for Writing Great Leads Tips for Tease Writing Notes 5. Interviewing What's the Purpose of the Interview? Types of Interviews Talking Head Interview Conversational Interviews Research Who Do You Interview? Tips for Conducting Interviews Listen Take Notes Diversity of Sources Interview Expectations Choose the Right Setting Lighting Sound Logistics Remote Interviews Editing it Together Helpful Audio Tip Social Media Notes 6. Writing Radio News and Producing Podcasts Terminology Writing Audio Stories Describe the Scene Actualities Natsound Use all of your senses, not just sight Distracted Listeners Types of News Radio Station Formats Scripting Formats RDR Example Voicer Example RDR/Actuality Example Wrap Example Some Other Notes about Scripting Podcasts Recording and Editing Audio Stories Appendix A Radio Newscast Script, courtesy of WBAL in Baltimore, Md. Note 7. The Reader, VO Story Forms, and Graphics Reader (RDR) RDR Script Formatting VO Story Forms Voice-Over (VO) Content Footage Wallpaper Video VO Scripting Formats Graphics Fullscreens (FS) or Fullscreen Graphics (FSG) Basic Graphic Design Principles Aspect Ratio Essential Area Color Readability Consistency Infographics Notes 8. The VO/SOT Choosing Compelling Sound Bites Setting Up the Sound Bite Scripting Format Examples Stand-Alone SOT Note 9. The Package What Types of News Stories Should Be Packages? Story Forms Diamond Story Form Christmas Tree Story Form Narrative Arc Package Points Ten Steps to Putting Together a News Package Top Ten Package Tips The Elements of the PKG Script Notes 10. Writing for the Web How People Read Online New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Initiative Aims to Combat Obesity and Get People Moving Guidelines for Adults Guidelines for Children Online Story Formatting Elements Gas Prices Expected to Spike Across the Country Writing for the Web Multimedia Elements Social Media TikTok The Journey of a Story from Television to a News Website to Social Media Here's the pkg script for television: Here's a transcript of the package: The story on the station's website: Live Tweeting Tips Notes 11. The Basics of Gathering Video and Audio for News Stories The Tripod White Balancing Different Types of Shots Extreme Long Shot (XLS) or Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) Long Shot (LS) or Wide Shot (WS) Medium Shot (MS) Close Up (CU) Extreme Close Up (XCU or ECU) Basic Sequence of Shots Camera Movements Allowing Action to Move In and Out of Shots Framing Your Shots Cutaways Backgrounds Screen Size Matters Recording Sound Monitoring Your Sound 12. Video and Audio Editing Logging Video and Audio Video Editing The Video Editing Process Overview Step 1: Import Your Project elements Step 2: Lay Down Reporter Track and Sound Bites Step 3: Lay Down Video/Graphics Step 4: Lay Down Music Bed Step 5: Watch Your Story Step 6: Export Your Video Step 7: Watch it One More Time VO Editing Process VO/SOT Editing Process PKG Editing Process Rules to Keep in Mind While Editing Video Say Cow, See Cow Continuity Considerations Jump Cuts Axis of Action Audio Continuity Use of Computer-Generated Effects Editing Your Audio Use of Music Crossfades Natural Sound Displacing Audio Layering Sound 13. Writing Specific Types of Stories Sports Stories Avoid Jargon and Clichés Write to Your Video Sentence Fragments Numbers Opinions Look Beyond the Play-By-Play Consider Covering Other Sports Interviews with Athletes Social Media Politics and Government Government Structure Budgets—Follow the Money Report Fairly Community Impact Government Meetings Meetings and Speeches Find Your Focus Begin with What's Most Interesting Set the Scene Interviews Visuals Open Meetings Business Stories Avoid Jargon Numbers Visuals Business Documents Consumer Stories Crime Stories Understanding the Criminal Justice System Innocent Until Proven Guilty Avoid "Cop Speak" Allegedly Covering Disasters and Tragedies Get the Basic Facts What to Do at the Scene Find the Person in Charge Don't Make Assumptions Pass Information Along Follow-Up Stories Health and Science Stories Make the Story Relatable to Your Audience Weigh Differing Viewpoints Carefully Consult with Experts in the Field Make Additional Information Available Embargos Find Your Focus Avoid Jargon 14. Live Shots Live Shot Coordination Five Elements Necessary for Live Shots Tip #1 - Follow the same basic principles of doing a stand-up but emphasize why you are there going live Tip #2 - Make sure what you say is accurate. Don't speak in a way that alarms others unnecessarily or places others in danger Tip #3 - Don't memorize large chunks of information. It's better to have an outline Tip #4 - Assume your microphone is always live and the camera is always on Tip #5 - Be aware of your time, especially when conducting interviews Tip #6 - Make sure you have backup equipment Tip #7 - Have contingency plans if the live shot has technical or other difficulties Tip #8 - Reporter and anchor question and answer should provide meaningful perspectives Tip #9 - Have clear communication between the station and the field Tip #10 - Above all—remain calm especially when there are technical difficulties Types of Live Shots The Donut or Live Wrap As Live Starting as a Solo Journalist Live Truck Safety Notes 15. Producing the TV Newscast What does a Producer do? Preparing the Rundown Elements of the Rundown Stacking the Newscast Teases 16. News Ethics The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) Code of Ethics Associated Press (AP) Statement of News Values and Principles National Public Radio (NPR) Code of Ethics The Ethical Journalism Guidebook of The New York Times Media Code of Ethics Database Why Ethical Codes Matter How Digital Media is Challenging Media Ethics Ethical Dilemmas Journalists May Face Protecting Sources Protecting Victims Privacy vs. News Value Conflicts of Interest News as a Business Journalism Ethical Case Studies Naming Victims of Sex Crimes Controversy over a Concert Capturing or Creating the News Kobe Bryant's Past: A Tweet Too Soon? A Public Official's Suicide at a News Conference Notes Index "Broadcast News Toolkit focuses on the writing, shooting, and production of broadcast news across multimedia platforms in a non-technical and visually engaging way. Covering a range of different story forms in broadcast news (RDR, FS, VO, VO/SOT, PKG and Liveshots), this book illustrates basic audio/video shooting and editing techniques through straightforward examples, including online video tutorials that can be accessed via a QR code within the book. Specific issues relating to online content, social media, and audience engagement are discussed in detail, and the authors further explore why trust in news media is declining, the impact that fake news and deep fake videos have on media credibility, diversity and inclusion in newsrooms, and what can be done to increase the perceived credibility of the news. Students will also learn how to write leads and teases that will keep viewers engaged. This is an ideal text for undergraduate and graduate students of Broadcast and Multimedia Journalism who are looking for a clear and concise guide to the modern digital newsroom"-- Provided by publisher