We Use this Example in Workshops: A Lesson Thanks to Jay + Kanye

April 7th, 2011

Watch how great  —  yet simple  — questions make for great interviews.  And this wasn’t even in a newscast.  A classic.

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

Multimedia Minutes: Creative Stand-Ups

July 20th, 2010

Your stand-ups can reveal your creativity.  And they beat shooting and voicing over boring video.  Plus on-camera storytelling from the field helps build your identity. 

For many more Multimedia Minutes, click on the links to the right under Recent Posts.

Posted in broadcast journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training | 38 Comments »

Multimedia Journalism: Fact Checking to Set You Apart from the Pack

April 20th, 2010

To overcome the perception that you, as a TV journalist,  fail to go the extra step to check facts, consider this approach.  A newpaper site has started fact checking what guests on a Sunday talk show say.

Bringing this home to you:  Check the more questionable statements you run in your interviews.  To make this practical, you don’t have to do this immediately, but do it:  “I’ve been fact checking an interview I did a couple of days ago, and discovered…”

Often it requires only a phone call or checking facts through Google or another search engine.  Viewers rarely see this in TV news, so it’s a powerful way to set you apart from the competition.

Contact me with questions. 

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

Multimedia Minutes: “We Work So Hard But Don’t Get Credit”

April 19th, 2010

“We kick butt, so why don’t viewers see how much better we are than the competition?  That’s a frequent question.  Especially following a research presentation showing no progress on the content front.  Or flat ratings.

The answer can be simple.  Doing a better job than the other guys may be obvious to you, but not to your viewers.  You have to tell them in the newscasts what’s uniquely valuable, and you don’t need to use the tired word ”exclusive” to do it.

Here are strong examples of showcasing your competitive advantages from a couple of KEPR-TV/Pasco, Washington newscasts.  These are just excerpts.  You’ll find the key words in bold type.

HUNDREDS OF KIDS ARE SET TO ATTEND A BRAND NEW KENNEWICK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THIS FALL.  BUT MONTHS AGO — WE DISCOVERED A MAJOR CONCERN — ACCESS TO THE NEW SCHOOL COULD BE A PROBLEM.  AND TONIGHT — KEPR LEARNED THE NEW ROAD TO COTTONWOOD WILL DEFINITELY NOT BE READY BY THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL — AND MAY EVEN BE AS LATE AS NEXT YEAR.   

WE KNOW YOU RELY ON US TO TELL YOU WHEN PRICES ARE SUDDENLY JUMPING.  AND KEPR FOUND THAT’S THE CASE WITH BUILDING SUPPLIES.      IF YOU WERE WORKING ON A DECK FOR THE SUMMER — YOU’LL FIND THE PRICE OF LUMBER IS THROUGH THE ROOF IN JUST THE LAST FEW WEEKS.  

A FEW WEEKS AGO  WE DISCOVERED A WAY FOR YOU TO SAVE MONEY ON OUTSTANDING PARKING TICKETS IN HERMISTON.   SINCE THEN WE CHECKED BACK IN WITH HERMISTON TO SEE IF PEOPLE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SAVINGS.

LAST NIGHT KEPR ACTION NEWS BROKE THE STORY OF A KENNEWICK FAMILY LIVING WITH BARELY ANY RUNNING WATER — FOR MORE THAN A WEEK.  TONIGHT WE LEARNED THE FAMILY IS GOING FORWARD WITH A COMPLAINT THROUGH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE.   

WE DISCOVERED — IN THE LAST FIVE-YEARS — METH LAB BUSTS IN THE COUNTY DROPPED FROM 91 ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FIVE.   THERE’S AN EASY EXPLANATION FOR THE DRASTIC DROP — YOU NOW NEED PSEUDOEPHEDRINE PRESCRIPTION IN OREGON.  THAT CHANGE WAS MADE FIVE-YEARS AGO — AND IT’S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DRAMATIC RESULTS EVER SINCE.  BUT WE DUG EVEN DEEPER — AND FOUND THE DRUG OF CHOICE MAY HAVE NOW GONE FROM METH TO POT.  

 WE’VE LEARNED THAT HUNDREDS OF NEW JOBS ARE COMING TO WALLA WALLA.  THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS GETTING MILLIONS IN GRANT MONEY TO EXPAND A GREEN JOBS TRAINING CENTER.

You’ll notice the emphasis on key words like “learned” and “discovered.”  They speak to competitive advantage with viewers, but feel free to communicate your journalistic edge in your own words.

KEPR-TV news director Robin Wojtanik says achieving this level of showcasing and sustaining it in every newscast takes constant vigilance.

Put your copy to the test.  Look at the last story you wrote or last newscast you produced, and ask this question:

“How clear is the competitive advantage — something important to viewers that they can’t get on the competition?”

If you’re a news manager, ask the same question as you look at the local news page of your Web site.  If it looks like you’re lost in a Sea of Sameness, identify what sets you apart and take credit.  Every newscast.  You can’t tell viewers “You watched the wrong newscast.”

Posted in broadcast journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training | 4 Comments »

Multimedia Minutes: Clients Question Major Market MMJ as He Drives to Assignment

April 16th, 2010

A Webinar first. 

WUSA/Washington, DC multimedia journalist Scott Broom answers questions from MMJs during an AR&D Webinar while driving on assignment.  Participating were MMJs from AR&D client stations in markets including San Luis Obispo, Tucson, Colorado Springs, and Lafayette, LA.  My colleague MMJ Galen Culver, who conducts training with me, contributed his insights from Oklahoma City. 

In this section of the Webinar, Scott talks about the benefit of writing his Web version first.

Scott went onto say that his station encourages stand-ups in stories — we call it “on camera storytelling” — when possible.

Comment:  Good, actionable perspective on how a “major market MMJ” actually does his work.  Seems to breakdown some of the roadblocks.

—————————–

Take advantage of the fastest growing on-demand library of multimedia journalism training videos on the planet by going to Recent Posts on your right.

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

Multimedia Minutes: Landing the Big Interview

April 14th, 2010

Multimedia journalist Carolyn Cerda is new in her position at KATC in Lafayette, LA, but that didn’t stop her from landing an important interview following an AR&D three-day workshop for MMJs.    How did she do it?

Improve your multimedia journalism skills.  Check out the fastest growing library of learning videos for MMJs on the planet under Recent Posts or just click below:

Multimedia Minutes: Producing Tips

April 10th, 2010

If you like producing your own stories, take it up a notch.  Learn how successful producers craft their newscasts.

Become more valuable.  Learn from the videos under Recent Posts — fast becoming the largest library of multimedia journalism learning videos on the planet.

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

Multimedia Minutes: Tips for Covering Spot News

January 26th, 2010

Learn tips about shooting spot news from a new MMJ who quickly mastered the fundamentals following AR&D training. 

Here’s the story reported and shot by Ariel Wesler of KSBY-TV in San Luis Obispo/Santa Maria, CA.  You’ll find our candid comments about what worked and what didn’t at the bottom of the screen, which are aimed at raising the bar.

You’ll find many tips for MMJs by watching the videos to your right under Recent Posts.

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

Multimedia Minutes: Quick & Dirty Tip to Avoid Losing Viewers from the Start

January 19th, 2010

You risk losing viewers if you save the best video for last.  The lines represent interest in the story on a second by second  basis.  First viewer then staff interest as measured in one of our Real Time Response research projects.  

The story is bout how clean restaurants are.  The close-up of the opening shot grabbed attention — and kept it.  This is one of the most obvious examples in our research library.  The line is idea.  In many cases, the line drops from the start and might peak later — when it’s too late.   Yes, you’re looking at a closeup of a roach.

Multimedia journalists are surprised to learn that if you fail to start strong like this, viewers often don’t stick around to watch the story build.  So start with your most compelling shots as you roll out your story.

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

Multimedia Minutes: Stand-Up Storytelling without a Frame of Video

November 21st, 2009

With storytelling at the core of powerful communications, we can learn alot from listening to a youngster.  Tara’s  assignment:  Find out what concerns parents the most about their kids. 

Tara has improved her storytelling after this first try.  She contributes stories to KRNV-TV/Reno as a community correspondent.  She provides helpful information to safeguard kids from predators in this report: 

 You’ll find more learning videos by clicking on Recent Posts to your right.

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