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Multimedia Minutes: Strong Investigative Reporting
May 15th, 2010
This strong example of investigative reporting includes a good story idea and ways to turn it.
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Multimedia Minutes: Selling a Visually Weak Story
May 10th, 2010
One of the most frequent complaints from multimedia journalists and promotion producers is “How do you engage viewers when your visuals are dull?” The solution comes in the planning and the role the reporter plays, as you see in this example.
Posted in broadcast journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training | 2 Comments »
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Multimedia Minutes: Finding Humor in a Story
May 9th, 2010
Find humor in a story, add a creative touch, and you created engaging storytelling. Despite limited video, see what this reporter did:
Posted in broadcast journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training | 6 Comments »
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Multimedia Minutes: Reality Check
May 9th, 2010
Viewers value journalists who separate fact from fiction. This station does that in their Reality Check reports.
You likely can’t turn a story like this a day, but begin by making a few calls on stories important to viewers.
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Sharpen your skills as a multimedia journalist. Watch the videos and read the articles listed under Recent Posts. These short videos and quick reads provide tips you can implement today.
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Multimedia Minutes: Impact Team
May 9th, 2010
Viewers want to know where their taxpayer money– including stimulus funds – is going. They also want to be sure there’s no fraud, no waste. This promo shows the commitment of one TV station to deliver on that.
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Multimedia Minutes: Getting More Winning Shots with Help from Victoria’s Secret
May 8th, 2010
Wallpaper video like this shot bores viewers. I saw a bunch of shots like these in an otherwise strong multimedia journalist package about censoring Internet porn at libraries. Here’s what I told the client:- Cut down on waste. When speaking at NPPA to some of the best photojournalists in the country, I ask them to look at each scene in a story as either valuable or not. For example, this shot.
- Does it engage viewers or fill time? Which is it? It was an eye-opener for the new photojournalists who realized a third of their “day of” news stories contained video not advancing the story — the “wallpaper” shots. In short, it was a waste of time to shoot, to edit, and they did their viewers a disservice.
So what’s the practical solution when it seems all you have are “generic shots” of people sitting around. Here are a few best practices:
- If you single people out, refer to them. Be careful, though, about shots like these in connection with controversial stories — like Internet porn. You can damage someone’s reputation, even getting sued. I wonder what the lady in the foreground is so focused on. She’s very engaged.
- Reframe the story to minimize meaningless video. This is a practical and proven way to avoid becoming a victim by saying, “But this is all I had to shoot.” Each situation is different, but the idea is to zero the package in on an interesting, informative, and relevant angle. For example, sitting the library director at a computer, showing sites that might be borderline. For example, Victoria’s Secret. By focusing on angle like this, you don’t waste your reporters’ time and viewers’ time looking at multiple shots like the one you see above. You keep these shots to a minimum, and your reporter’s questions with the librarian looking at the screen make for an engaging topical promo. Efficient and powerful.
Posted in broadcast journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training | 135 Comments »
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Multimedia Minutes: When Visuals are Hard to Find
May 8th, 2010
A story or promo like this would normally lack strong visuals. Watch how this station planned the story and promo to avoid that problem.
Making this happen requires planning. You can’t easily fix a visually weak story or promo after you shot it. You should plan your strong elements to avoid the problem.
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Multimedia Minutes: Creative Opening Shot
May 7th, 2010
Promos demand the strongest visual elements from multimedia journalists because you’re trying to sell your news product. This promo begins with an especially creative shot.
Viewers tell us that some creative angles distract from the sell of the message. This example created by WRGB-TV’s Tim Pennings in Albany, NY shows shows can creativity can sell.
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Sharpen your skills as a multimedia journalist by watching the videos and short articles under Recent Posts — fast becoming the largest multimedia library of learning videos on the planet.
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Multimedia Minutes: Bullying Story with Strong Elements
May 6th, 2010
Many multimedia journalists have covered stories about bullying in the schools. This one stands out for reasons you’ll see.
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Multimedia Minutes: Keeping Score — Enterprise Journalism
May 5th, 2010
You keep score in sports and know who the home run leaders are. Recognize the leaders in the newsroom in enterprise reporting.
Here’s a simple model. The real one would have actual names. Sales departments at several TV stations have taken this approach to recognize the top billers. After all, you can’t manage it unless you can measure it. If your batting average is low, ask managers to share best practices with you. Also, look through Recent Posts to your right for learning videos about enterprise reporting.
Posted in broadcast journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training | 2 Comments »