AR&D Reinventing Local Media

MMJ/Weekend anchor Lena Vargas at KEPR (Tri-Cities, Washington) says she’s guided by three major tips.

– Don’t just shoot the action, because the story is often in the reaction.  Example:  Family watching their house burn down is more emotionally compelling than the flames.

– Shoot as many extreme tight shots as you can because they are great cutaways and really bring you into the scene and gets viewers closer to the subject. 

– And from Bob Dotson’s session:  “Write to the corners of your video.”  Example:  Write “It smelled like Christmas in July”– instead of the “fire consumed acres and acres of forest.” 

We like to share these “real world” quick tips from MMJs to complement the information we share here, in our national MMJ webinars, and training workshops I conduct with colleagues MMJ Galen Culver and Regent Ducas.

We were impressed not only by Lena’s visual storytelling but also her assertiveness in asking the tough questions and nailing down important facts.

Viewers value reporters and stations who go the extra step in fact finding — especially for a story related to high unemployment rates.    Here’s a good example showing the work of KRNV-TV (Reno) anchor Joe Hart.

Here’s how to go deeper into stories viewers talk about.

Even ESPN has gotten into the game of digging deeper and fact finding.  A new blog called The File uses public information requests, court filings, government data, and reader-furnished material to go deeper into the stories that the sports world is talking about.  They say the documents they post will help you ignore the spin and crowd noise and get right to the facts.  Their motto:  The devil is always in the document.

This is from the first edition of The File, which looked at football’s Bowl Championship Series:

We’re following the money in the BCS. So when we saw President Obama welcoming the BCS champs of Alabama to the White House in March, it made us wonder: How much does the ultimate photo op cost? Here’s how that $97,327 total breaks down:

 $79,314: A chartered plane from Tuscaloosa and back again 

 $3,500: Four buses to transport the team to and from the airport

 $6,000: Four more private buses to tour the team around D.C.

 $1,671.30: Bill from Metropolitan Police Department, Homeland Security Special Ops, for crowd control
 $3,512: Breakfast, Classic Fare Catering
 $3,329.95: Lunch tab from Chick-fil-A

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TAKEAWAYS

Use public information requests to see how your tax money is spent.

You have a right to ths information, but you have to ask for it.

For example, because many viewers wonder how the taxpayer funded stimulus money is spent.

And even basic expenses including how public servants spend money on travel and conventions.                       

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Senior Research Analyst Rory Ellender brought this to our attention.

Where do viewers’ eyes go when they watch your stories?

Research techniques measure that to ensure commercials and promos successfully communicate their messages.  I interviewed the director of global marketing intelligence for Alcon Pharmaceuticals for the American Marketing Association.  While you watch this, think of where your viewers’ eyes go to when looking at your video.

Engage your viewers by making every shot count.

Pick up tools for your visual storytelling toolbox here. 

“How can I do a better job with my live remotes?” 

Here are some tips.

This franchise delivers well on several fronts.  And there’s still a way to raise the bar.

So you want more promotion?

Deliver on your station’s brand of journalism.  For example, if it’s viewer advocacy, ask the questions viewers would ask if they could.  Then show your news director your best questions.  This proof of branding promo is an example of that.  See how it ran, then look for my comments:

You frustrate viewers when you simply report “crime is up.”

They want to know about their neighborood, not just overall figures.  That’s why more stations show neighborhood maps as part of Crimetracker reports.

A twist on stand-ups.  A client calls it the “Stand-up Turn.”

Watch it in this story by anchor/MMJ/assistant news director at KIMA-TV (Yakima) David Klugh.  His walking out of the frame into a new shot makes for easy, jump cut free editing and strong visual storytelling.