PUBLIC RELATIONS370February 20, 2012

Why think tv and radio

• Radio reaches about 94% of adults daily

• Local television news reaches 150 million viewers daily

• The average American family spends 7 hours watching TV

Radio and tv writing vernacular

• Reader: Anchor reading a story on camera.

• VO: Anchor reading a story with video rolling over as the anchor reads

• SOT: Sound On Tape. This is a person saying something.

• VO/SOT: Anchor reading over video, with a soundbite from a newsmaker

• Package: What reporters usually do. Preproduced segment with voice track, video and sound

• Natural Sound: Sound from the scene. This is critical to have in anything you send.

Radio writing nuances

• All caps,

• More conversational…use the word “You.”

• You don’t have to use AP Style.

• Spell out numbers. It’s fifty-four…not 54• Don’t use a comma….use ellipses to allow the reader to breathe.

Radio writing nuances

• Make sure you indent properly between sentences. Leave enough space.

• Be precise with time. Every line of copy is 4-6 seconds.

• Read your copy aloud to make sure it meets time parameters.

Radio writing nuances

• Audio news releases (ANRs)

• Ready to play with script and audio provided.

• Many local radio stations are desperate for content.

Radio writing nuances

• Public service announcements (PSAs)

• Unpaid announcement for government or nonprofit organizations.

• As short as five seconds, thirty seconds max.

Radio writing nuances

• Radio media tours

• Telephone interviews around the country from one location.

• Morning shows are even more desperate for content.

Television news writing

• Write to your video. What you see is what you should say.

• Don’t hit it with a sledgehammer.

• It’s OK to use first, second or third person. Write the way you would speak to your friends.

Writing to video think about video

• There’s a lot of dreadfully bad video.

• Pans• Zooms• Hollow Audio• Shaky Video

Writing to video think about video

• Video should mirror the human eye

•Shoot and move

•Wide, medium, tight, super tight.

•Quick pacing.

Thinking about video

• Storytelling matters

• Capture the moment• Find characters• Use Natural Sound• Your writing should serve as bridges between

emotional soundbites.• Commitment statement. Commitment statement.

Commitment statement. Commitment statement. Commitment statement

Think about good video• ID Characters

• ID Moments

• ID Natural Sound

• ID Surprises

• Think about shot composition.

• Think about audio

• Think about writing to video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvfaCuVveVw

Video news release

VNR packages include

• News report with voiceover narration

• Extra soundbites and B-roll

• Clear identification of the video source

• Script, spokesperson information, media contacts, background information

• Give editors flexibility…make your video and soundbites longer than you normally would

Personal appearances and product placement

• Talk shows

• Great chance to be a content expert.• Great chance to make your client look like an idiot if you don’t prepare them well enough.

• Analyze format and host.• Do your homework.

Product placement

Identifiable product in programming

• Issue placement: Getting issues integrated into scripts

• Radio promotions: Sponsorship of nonprofit or community events

• Community calendars: Listing of upcoming events

The four biggest mistakes I see in psa assignments

• They don’t time out their copy to :30.

• They ask questions.

• They include information a reader of viewer will never remember.

• They don’t follow the commitment statement.

The psa is due one week from today

• It should be :30 long.

• Remember radio and TV formatting.

• Remember your audience has one shot to get this.