Timeliness Information,

not Explanation

Audio or Visual Impact

The news must be up-to-the-minute.

News that is more than an hour or two old may be too stale for the broadcaster.

Simple Straightforward 20 to 30 seconds (max. 2 mins.) Story – 10 secs.; actuality – 5

secs. (radio)

Pictures Footages

Accuracy Clarity Conversational Immediate Conciseness Color Deadlines

Should you avoid using pronouns?

Should you avoid repeating proper nouns?

Is it okay to break the rules of grammar?

Is it okay to use slang?

The president said Tuesday that he will support some limited tax increase proposals when Congress reconvenes this week.

The president says he’s up for higher taxes.

Why should a time element be omitted?

Should adjectives and adverbs be eliminated?

Should active verbs be used?

Should broadcast writers use the passive voice?

Should broadcast writers vary sentence length?

How will you inject color into a broadcast story?

Dramatic Unity

ClimaxCauseEffect

Climax

LeadWhat

Cause

WhyCircumstances

Effect

ContextInsight = story’s meaning

A story without actualities or soundbites

Sound effects from the event that is being covered (i.e. someone speaking, crowd noise, gunshots)

News anchor Story Reporter (story,

soundbite, tag line)

1 min. to 15 mins. Several soundbites, a variety

of sources (interviews, noise, music)

News anchor (lead-in)

Reader – anchor/reporter; no visual or audio aid; may have a slide or graphic in the background

Voiceovers – An anchor or reporter speaks over the tape to talk about what the viewer is seeing.

Voiceover to Soundbite – An anchor or reporter speaks over a videotape that includes some talking.

Package stories Anchor (lead-in) Story and reporter Video, soundbites, VO, stand-up (A

reporter explains some element of the story or summarizes the entire story.)

Max. – 2 ½ minutes

Live Shots – An anchor will introduce a reporter who is shown live at the scene of some news event.

Choices: stand-up, interview, videotape, answer questions from the anchor