• 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.

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

  • Multimedia Minutes: Tips for When Video is Weak

    April 1st, 2010

    When you’re confronted with a story hard to visualize, you can easily become a victim of the situation.  Here’s how KRNV/Reno promotion producer Gary Stone tapped into anchor Joe Hart’s tough questions to create strong promotion.

    Even if you shoot your own stories, your tough questions can pull viewers in, showing you’re watching out for their needs.

    ——————

    From Professor Ken Kobre who teaches photojournalism at San Francisco State University:

    Free Tips from Bob Kaplitz’s Multimedia Minutes

    We found a terrific resource for videojournalism instruction — and it’s free!

    Bob Kaplitz is a principal and senior strategist for Audience Research & Development (AR&D), a TV news marketing firm which he joined in 1980 after a distinguished career in broadcast journalism, which included reports on the CBS Evening News.

    He’s created a slew of excellent short instructional videos that offer tips for improving your video. He offers these “Multimedia Minutes” on his blog.

    What makes them especially valuable is that Kaplitz uses actual footage from pros, and has annotated it with superimposed text that crisply points out the attributes and deficits of various aspects of the video and audio, as you’re looking and listening to it.

    It’s like having the teacher right there at your side, critiquing it as you watch.

    Among his topics:

    * How to Use a Hidden Camera
    * Creatively Shooting Your Own Standups
    * How to Take Control of a Story
    * The Most Important Word in Storytelling
    * So You Want to Save the Best for Last?
    * How to Spice Up a Story
    * How to Use Words Sparingly
    * Shooting Your Own Standups
    * How to Shoot a Story that’s Tough to Shoot
    * Asking Better Questions with Facts
    * How to Lure Viewers and Hold Them
    * Action-Reaction Approach to Strong Storytelling
    * From Ho-Hum to Engaging Storytelling
    * A Lesson Thanks to Jay Leno & Kanye West

    Visit Kaplitz’s blog for free videojournalism lessons from a pro.

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

  • Multimedia Minutes: Fair and Balanced Reporting

    November 13th, 2009

     

    Getting all sides to be fair and balanced is what this KVOA (Tucson) multimedia journalist did.  He begins by going the extra step — accompanying the woman responsible for enforcing a sign ordinance on a night time mission.

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

  • Multimedia Minutes: The Power of Transparency

    October 15th, 2009

     

    How do you hold people in power accountable when they don’t answer your phone calls? 

     

    Some reporters would just drop that very important angle of the story.  But KVAL’s (Eugene, OR) Molly Blancett with encouragement from news director Jennifer Kuglin refused to let the police chief off the hook.  And she did it in a transparent way so viewers could appreciate it.   After all, it was the second fatal crash in a year involving Oakridge police.

    Who deserves the credit for this strong example of viewer advocacy and transparency?  News Director Jenny Kluglin responds:

     

     

    Molly worked with me and my main anchor, Jennifer Winters.  We both talked to her throughout the day to help figure out the best way to write and craft the story.

     

    We find that some reporters find transparency awkward.  Molly made it look natural.  Congratulations to all.

     

    You can learn from many Multimedia Minutes by clicking on the links to the right.

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

  • “Where’s My Money Going?”

    August 14th, 2009

    Viewers appreciate stations that serve as a viewer advocate — especially as a watchdog keeping an eye on where their tax money is going.  Whether you’re a multimedia journalist or part of a reporter-photojournalist team, you can learn from these strong storytelling elements.

    Feel free to share your comments and questions.  For example, one viewer said the story delivered on viewer advocacy in a valuable way, but could have been tightened up by dividing it into two angles.

    Posted in Power Tools for TV Journalists | 32 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 »

  • Put Your Career on Steroids

    May 7th, 2009

     

    If you’re not getting enough feedback, ask for it.  It’ll make you more valuable at a time when that’s essential for job security.  Multimedia journalist or whatever your position, you deserve to know what to celebrate and how you can raise the bar.

    lisajackson

     

    WRGB/Albany, NY news director Lisa Jackson, shown here with reporter Randy Simons, provides consistent feedback in one-to-one’s, small group sessions, staff meetings, weekly, and sometimes even daily emails.

     

    This approach answers one of the most frequent complaints from news people:  “I don’t get enough feedback.”

     

    See how specific, constructive, and candid the feedback you deserve can be as you read one of Lisa’s recent emails:

     

     

     Team:
     

    An incredibly hectic week!  We covered breaking news and we broke a few stories.  Thank you all for the good ideas, hard work, and hustle. 

     

    We continue to show daily progress in branding our newscasts so that viewers will appreciate the extra steps we take every day that set us apart from the competition.   We showcased our Fact Finders, we answered viewer email questions, we broke important stories and we’re planning for more opportunities for the anchors to contribute — those are branding goals and nice job delivering them.   

     

    Here are a couple of examples from tonight, and suggestions to make them stronger. 

     

    Plane in the Hudson Followup


                ALBANY INTERNATIONAL IS ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH THE DANGER THAT BIRDS POSE TO AIRPLANES.
                IN-FACT, LAST YEAR THEY RECORDED FORTY-TWO BIRD STRIKES AT THE AIRPORT.
                TONIGHT RANDY SIMONS SHOWS US THE PLAN … TO NOT ONLY BATTLE THE BIRDS — BUT SOME OTHER THINGS… THAT COULD REALLY ”FOWL” THINGS UP.

    Good:  We identified two angles this morning to follow up on yesterday’s plane in the Hudson.  Angle 1:  How common are bird strikes and what is Albany International doing to prevent them?  Angle 2:  What should you do to increase your chances of getting out safe? 

    To Raise the Bar:   Write that into your copy.  For example:  Yesterday’s crash raises two big safety questions:  How common are bird strikes and what is Albany International doing to prevent them?  And What should you do the next time you fly to increase your chances of getting out safe?  Our Fact Finder team ….we start with ….

    This give us credit for identifying important safety issues, and viewers appreciate that  we’re fact finding to get them answers. 

     

    Fire Depts. Not Getting Money


                THE STATE’S FISCAL WOES ARE NOW HAVING AN EFFECT.. ON THOSE WAITING FOR GRANT MONEY, FROM THE STATE.
                IN NOVEMBER, GOVERNOR PATERSON OUTLINED NEW “COST-CONTROL” MEASURES — MAKING IT MANDATORY THAT AGENCIES SEEKING GRANTS, GET PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE STATE DIVISION OF BUDGET.. AND THE OFFICE OF STATE OPERATIONS.

            THE NEW MEAURE MAY BE AN EFFORT TO CONTROL SPENDING — BUT AS MARCI NATALE REPORTS — IT’S LEAVING SEVERAL AREA FIRE COMPANIES… IN THE RED.

    Good:   It’s an exclusive story that may affect a lot of families.
    To Raise the Bar:  Need to make the relevance much more obvious.  Focus on “Why do I care?”  Will I have to pay more to make up the difference?  Will they have to cut back on other equipment that might put my family at risk?

       

    Making Good on Our Promise


                EARLIER THIS WEEK — MARCI NATALE BROKE THE STORY — OF HOW MEMBERS OF THE ALBANY FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE BEING TOLD, THEY CAN NO LONGER VOLUNTEER IN THEIR OWN TOWNS.

            MANY OF YOU EMAILED US ABOUT THIS ONE —
                AND ONE OF YOU POINTED OUT — WE REFERRED TO PAID FIREFIGHTERS AS “PROFESSIONALS” — WHEN IN FACT, “ALL” FIREFIGHTERS ARE PROFESSIONALS — PAYCHECK OR NOT.

            AND YOU’RE RIGHT… GOOD POINT!
    TAKE EMAIL ANIMATION
                REMEMBER — IF THERE’S A QUESTION YOU HAVE — OR A STORY YOU WANT COVERED — E-MAIL US AT “NEWS AT CBS SIX ALBANY DOT COM.”

            IT’S OUR JOB TO GET YOU ANSWERS!
    Good:   We turned a mistake most stations would just sweep under the rug, into a branding opportunity that makes good on our promise of nailing down the facts because accuracy matters.  Because viewers rarely see this it makes an impression.  It’s a lemon because of the initial mistake, but you turned it into lemonade.

    To Raise the Bar:  Keep the original email.  Quote from it to capture the viewer’s indignation.  And use his name at the end, Sam, you’re right.  Thanks for the email so we can set the record straight.  

     

    Keep up the good work and have a great weekend!  Lisa  

    __________________

     

    Whether your news director offers you this feedback or you ask for it, it’s a great way to accelerate your learning.  Not incidentally, WRGB’s latest news ratings were their best in years.

     

    Posted in Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists | 3 Comments »