• Multimedia Minutes: Separating Fact from Fiction in Politics

    October 16th, 2010

    You can do it on your own or collaborate with a newspaper.  

     The goal is to fact check political claims.  See it as a type of investigative reporting that benefits viewers. 

    If you can fact check on your own, you and your station will get the full credit.

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    Posted in broadcast journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training | 1 Comment »

  • Multimedia Minutes: “How Safe is My Neighborhood?”

    August 14th, 2010

    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.

    Posted in broadcast journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training | 1 Comment »

  • Multimedia Minutes: A Different Kind of 3D

    July 17th, 2010

    What drives ratings?

    Many factors are responsible.  We boiled down what it takes on the content side.  What you need to know:

    Your brand of journalism has to be obvious and have meaning for viewers.  So how do you make that happen?  It comes down to 3D’s.

    • You need to know the content Drivers for your market — like asking tough questions, holding people accountable for where tax money goes.
    • The Difference between your product and your competition’s has to be huge so viewers see it.
    • Delivery:  You need to consistently differ on the above.  You can’t tell viewers they watched the “wrong newscast.”

    Posted in broadcast journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training | 3 Comments »

  • What Surprises News People the Most About Branding

    November 9th, 2009

    What surprises news people most about branding provides a critical reality check, as you’ll see in this Learning Video that runs 2:41.

    Posted in Power Tools for TV Journalists | No Comments »

  • Multimedia Minute: Going the Extra Step

    November 3rd, 2009

     

    Going the extra step to set herself apart from the competition is what KVOA/Tucson multimedia journalist Naomi Pescovitz did in this story.  Our comments include suggestions regarding how to make the story even better. 

    Naomi completed a three day AR&D multimedia journalist training program at KVOA the week before crafting this story.

     

     

    Recent Posts on the column to the right include many more Learning Videos. 

     

    Posted in broadcast journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training | No Comments »

  • Multimedia Minutes: When School Officials Won’t Cooperate

    September 11th, 2009

     

    A client asks:  “Help, we want to tell parents about fights in schools and other stats — but schools cite ‘student confidentiality.’  What do we do?”

     

    I agree with the schools that you shouldn’t release the names or any personal information about students who are kicked out of school, accused of carrying weapons in school, or anything of that nature.  The exceptions would be for cases that become a matter of public record.

     

    That’s why stations focus on the statistics including which schools had the highest reported rates and lowest rates of expulsions, cases of bullying, weapons seized, drugs seized?   Those issues worry parents.  They’re concerned about the safety of their kids and what’s going on in the schools, but can’t get information directly.  Many suspect principals want to keep the information secret, so they won’t look bad or they simply distrust the media because they feel they’ve been “burned” in the past.

     

    Parents hope TV stations will shine a light on what’s going on.  When rates go up, they want to know why and what principals are going to do about it.  And if the news is good and things are getting better, viewers are curious to know why, too.  As one parent told us, “I want that for my kid’s school.”

     

    Many school systems think the media will “go away” if the people in charge say they have a legal right to keep information from parents and the public.  Of course, this makes for far more engaging viewer advocacy when you raise the issue.

     

    PROVEN, PRACTICAL SOLUTION

     

    • Talk on camera or off to a few parents who are concerned about what’s going on in the schools, notably the safety of their kids and their quality of education.

     

    • Find out the questions they want answered.  You’re taking action for them.

     

    • Tell the people in charge that several parents are interested in knowing expulsion rates, for example, or whatever would interest them and other parents.

     

    • If they tell you that parents and the public shouldn’t know about this, ask them if it’s okay to record the conversation.  You want to be sure your viewers are hearing the reasons directly from them because accuracy matters.

     

    • Ask them “Why don’t you trust the public with the information?”  After all, it’s taxpayer money so doesn’t the public have a right to know?

     

    • Report the story just the way it played out.  That’s “transparency.”  The point is that parents would like to know what’s going on in the schools affecting the safety of their kids — but school officials say it’s best if they don’t know.  Then give the school system’s reason for keeping it secret.  You need to be fair.  Make it clear you’re not asking for names, just numbers.  

     

    • Contact school board members, who tend to represent the interest of many parents.  Ask them if they also agree parents are better served if the school system keeps important safety information secret.

     

    An education reporter in Virginia brought me the same problem/opportunity as you did.   What was so great was that the school insisted on keeping the information secret.  The station reported it just like I suggest here. 

     

    Parents were upset.  The station owned the story.  Parents called for a school board meeting.  The school superintendent resigned, the reporter went on to win an Edward R. Murrow award, and the station’s ratings soared.  Viewers saw the station as taking action for parents in a big way, setting itself apart from the competition, building its brand of journalism.

     

    Posted in broadcast journalism, TV news training | No Comments »

  • How Throwing a Rock at a TV Set Created a Winning Promo

    June 6th, 2009

    Viewers depend on anchors and reporters to ask the tough questions. They see it as part of their job. Yet, you’ll rarely hear tough questions in newscasts. Viewers complain they do hear softball questions.

    With that in mind, we collaborated with our Albany, New York client to create a proof of branding promo.  It  grabbed the attention of viewers and turned many into believers because it rang true.

    http://www.screencast.com/t/o5UCs98iwo

    Delivering on tough questions just doesn’t happen.  It takes planning, the crafting of questions, and anticipating answers to allow for follow-up questions.  And it requires focus.  You obviously don’t need to tough question a well-intentioned Girl Scout selling cookies that cost more this year than last.

    Not incidentally, WRGB scored its best ratings in recent years in the May book.

    Posted in Power Tools for TV Journalists | 9 Comments »