Month: November 2008

TV & Web are a popular pair

According to Reuters, new research from Nielsen finds that 31% of online activity occurs while the user is watching television. The findings help explain why TV viewing is on the rise at the same time new media is also growing.…

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James Bond-ing the news

What do secret agents and multimedia journalists have in common? Gadgets, of course.  While the new James Bond series doesn’t have a Q, it does have its share of technology.  And unlike previous Bond gizmos, the ones Daniel Craig uses…

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Developing a writing style

Is it ever okay to copy someone else’s writing style?  KARE-TV reporter Boyd Huppert, one of the finest writers in the business, says it’s actually a good way to develop your own.

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Saving the news

Uh-oh. It looks like we’ve finally done it; we’ve given people too much news and information. In an article for the Columbia Journalism Review, author Bree Nordensen writes about frustrated news consumers who have so much data coming at them every…

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TV narration tips

How do you read a TV news script so it doesn’t sound like you’re reading?  The first step, obviously, is to write the way you talk.  You can’t read stilted language and sound conversational.  But there’s more to it than…

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TV writing advice

Writing is hard work, no matter what your medium.  As the German novelist Thomas Mann once said, “A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”  Journalist Gene Fowler joked, “Writing is easy. …

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Web video “myths”

Questioning conventional wisdom is often a good thing, so let’s thank Peter Ralph for his recent posts at Shooting by Numbers challenging some basic assumptions about Web video.  Here’s his list of seven “myths” that he’d like to see ignored:…

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How is Web video different?

Or perhaps the question should be, “Is Web video different?”  Not too long ago, my former employer, WSOC-TV in Charlotte, posted a job titled “Website Video Journalist.”  Here’s what was listed for responsibilities: Your job will be to identify unique story ideas…

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Small markets, big opportunities

Most new journalism grads start their careers in small market newsrooms.  For many, it’s a first stop on the way up the ladder.  But others may find, as Rhonda McBride did, that small markets offer big opportunities. As my first…

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Shooting VJ stand ups

Working as a VJ can be challenging, especially when it comes to shooting stand ups. But Mark Carlson of the Associated Press says that thanks to his small HD camera, shooting good on-camera segments is easier than it used to…

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