AR&D Reinventing Local Media

Viewers love reporters who watch out for them rather than simply react to the news of the day.  In this example, see how KEPR-TV’s brand of journalism comes alive in the first few seconds of the lead-in, then watch Holly Zuluaga deliver on it through her tough questions, her follow-up questions, her fair treatment of the other side of the story, and her strong storytelling.  Plus she’s covering one of the hottest topics around — bullying in the schools.

Call it Fact Check, Reality Check, or “digging deep,” viewers love it.  Many tell us they’ll dump their favorite news station for one that goes the extra step to separate fact from fiction.  Do it for the more significant stories.  Your reality check facts can come from other sides of the issue.  Check them out and tell viewers your sources.

Finding a “real person” for stories isn’t easy, so sometimes you just need to ask your viewers on your air and on your Web site.  We’ve recommended this approach to news directors.  They say it not only helps find human angles but also provides a deeper understanding of the issue from the people closest to the problem — parents and kids.

Several years ago, a ND and I asked a producer to assess his newscast.  He said, “We kicked butt.”  He then went on to talk about several live remotes (with nothing going on) and some “neat graphics.” 

Unfortunately, although the producer was elated, the newscast failed to deliver on the ND’s goals, which reflected the needs of viewers in the market.  The problem was that the goals for each newscast were unclear, so the producer defined “success” one way and the news director defined it another way.

A simple checklist or scorecard quickly solved the problem.  Here’s an example.  Yes, a simple yet powerful concept to keep goals and progress front and center.  No matter what your responsibility is in a news gathering organization, you’ll benefit from a scorecard or at least a checklist.

One of the most powerful franchises we ever tested is simple in concept:  Alert viewers to neighborhood crime trends so they can protect themselves.  Many viewers say they’ll leave their favorite station to watch it because personal safety is important to them.  Here’s an example of the concept.

Sharpen your skills as a multimedia journalist by watching the videos under Recent Posts — fast becoming the largest on demand 24/7 library of learning videos for MMJs in the world.

Managers frequently ask for ways to help improve storytelling and efficiency.  Here’s one approach we recommend because it contrasts the old way vs. the new.

Viewers value reporters who probe for answers, not just accepting the first thing they hear.  KEPR-TV’s (Tri-Cities, WA)  Lena Vargas shows how to be tenacious as viewer advocate.  Plus she delivers other elements of strong storytelling.

When you look at these promos, see how clearly the station’s brand of journalism comes alive.  Notice how these spots minimize generic or wallpaper video and engage viewers with memorable moments.

Viewers want to know where their tax money goes, and this example offers you a story idea and a clever way to cover it.

Capturing strong soundbites in an interview requires a reporter who can make the person open up.  Here’s an example.

Comment from Naomi to the question:  “How did you make the interview subject so comfortable to get these powerful soundbites?”

I think it really was a matter of a pre-interview, which we don’t always have the luxury of doing as an MMJ. I spent two days in Nogales for that story and I definitely understood what you meant by the lack of video. I tried to spice it up with the editing in the beginning, but stories like that can be very tough to recreate! I spent some time with one of our photographers afterward talking about how I could have shot better (getting even tighter shots in the classroom, like the zippers or even the eraser on the pencil, for example).

But when you have the time, a pre-interview can save a story that has no video. Also, I liked your suggestion of on camera story-telling.