RTV Exam 1 Television Newsroom Roles In the television newsroom the news director is responsible for overall control He or she determines the rundown for each news bulletin and is responsible for the successful operation of the newsroom The executive producer essentially carries out the news director s instructions runs producer s desk and assists in determining the rundown for t he news bulletin each night An anchor is in front of the camera and introduces a news item Anchors are expected to be journalists and not just read news The reporter is responsible for getting a news story Most newsrooms have journalists allocated to various beats such as politics police education industrial relations and so on In many reporter positions the reporters must shoot their own video MMJ or one man band The videographer shoots video and interviews and likely edits video for the story that the reporter writes A producer is in charge of putting the stories together in a newscast The producer is often in charge of the story order graphic elements to go with the story and communicating with the reporters anchors and production staff The producer writes edits and times the show An associate producer then edits video for a producer s newscast to suit the story They make sure the video matches the script and also takes feeds answers viewers calls helps with scripts and works with the producer in other areas as well An assignment desk manager runs the assignment desk and is responsible for coordinating where the reporters videographers are during the day Television Interviewing and Hosting Newsroom Terminology o VO Video Only with available natural sound o SOT Sound on Tape interview or lengthy sound bite o PKG Package material edited together with VO SOTS and reporter narration o NATS Natural Sound o FILE VO previous aired material o FS or GFX Full Screen Graphic o MAP Full Screen Graphic usually pinpointing a location may have text as explanation o PHONER Telephone interview with full screen graphic o VO SOT OR VO SV VO SOT Video typically with anchor narration followed by sound bite o RDR Reader anchor on cam reading story o WXCENTER Weather Center Set o REM Remote Live Shot o LIVE Live shot o RUNDOWN The list of stories camera shots and video for show o SLUG Story title o TRT Total Run Time o CG Chyron Generated also referred to as super or lower 3rd o HIT TIMES The time a CG is taken o BACKTIME Timing a show from bottom to top o OTS Over the Shoulder Graphic that appears over the anchor s shoulder o CU Close up of talent o STANDUP reporter on camera delivering a portion of their package o B ROLL Video shot for a news story o SOUNDBITE a portion of an on camera interview selected for air o AD LIB conversing without a prepared script o KICKER a light fun or happy story to end a newscast Chp 1 Do s and Don ts s DO NOT o Scare them o Give orders o Bury strong verb in a noun Bomb explosion not bomb exploded o characterize news good bad surprising let the viewer decide o Begin with As expected A surprise a quote Attribution before assertion Yesterday Continues Another No Not A participle phrase or dependent clause An unfamiliar name Who are you talking about Start with main verb of is was were a personal pronoun He was arrested for who is he there is there are o Cram in too much info o Write print style for broadcast o Use newspaper constructions o Use big words where small words will work o Use clever words from source copy in script listeners will know o Lose fail to reach a viewer o Make a factual error you will lose credibility Chp 2 Venial Sins Don t start with prefabricated phrases o Once upon a time believe it or not Don t end with prefabricated phrases Don t waste words Just don t use prefabricated phrases anywhere o In order literally a total of Don t use in other news as a transition Don t use non broadcast news o If you have to look it up in the dictionary don t use it o Don t use hollow words Don t use vague or vogue words Don t use wrong weasel windy or weary words Don t use foreign words phrases Don t use clich s o Avoid song titles and lyrics o Makes a writer look lazy Don t hotrod o Special important unprecedented Chp 3 How to Develop a Script Write the way you talk conversational o Writing for the ear not the eye Start strong Read to understand your source copy Mark key facts Tell the story in your words o Don t borrow clever words from source copy listeners will remember Think before you write Translate the journalese adjust every sentence to comply with broadcast standards Write simply Avoid wordy warm ups get to the point Attribution precedes assertion o police say the suspect fled the scene Not the suspect fled said police o ONLY if info is 100 factual may assertion be skipped Humanize the copy talk to real people o Write about people not personnel Activate your copy use active words with an active voice Use familiar words in familiar ways o The economy shows growth Omit needles words Go with SVO subject verb object o Standard pattern of English o Cat goes home Limit sentences to one idea Use short words short sentences Avoid may might could o Make definite sentences Put your sentences into positive form eliminate no not Link sentences with also and but Emphasize words by putting them at the end of the sentence Place the time element after the verb Use contractions cautiously Use present tense verbs when possible Confirm your tips Know your city Follow current events Class notes Creative standup tell the story BUT do not become part of the story Privacy and Defamation o Zoom o Expectations of privacy Using also But Lead ins lead outs teases tags Public sidewalks are always fair game o Teases interest but do not give away the story o They should be creative rhymes alliterations puns o Make sure to deliver in the story what is promised in the tease o Teases and Lead ins should fill in what the copy leaves out No need to repeat facts Chp 4 What Style is and isn t George Orwell o Don t use metaphors figures of speech you re used to seeing in print o Don t use a long word where a short word will do o Cut words out when possible o Use the active not the passive o Never use jargon foreign word when plain English will do o Break these rules before saying anything ridiculous Stars of style ABC s o Accuracy dedicate to fact check o Brevity make it brief o Clarity keep it clear Take out adjectives and adverbs when possible Chp 5 Lead ins Lead outs Tags and Teasers Lead ins o Sets the scene