Posted on February 2nd, 2012 by Deborah Potter
I’ve always been a huge Robert Krulwich fan. His stories on NPR and ABC News break through the standard news blather thanks in part to his memorable delivery. Unlike so many reporters who tend to “announce” their scripts, Krulwich just talks, or at least that’s how it appears to the listener. But don’t be fooled. [...]
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Posted on January 12th, 2012 by Deborah Potter
Working alone in the field can be a challenge, but it’s a challenge that Michelle Michael has mastered. Since 2003, she’s been shooting, writing and editing her own stories for the US Armed Forces Network. This year, she won the NPPA Solo Video Journalist of the Year award. What’s her advice to other one-man-bands? “If [...]
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Posted on January 10th, 2012 by Deborah Potter
Love them or hate them, TV reporters have to do stand-ups.A stand-up can help to establish a reporter’s credibility and build a relationship with viewers, giving them a face to put with the voice. The trouble is, too many stand-ups today go overboard with unmotivated movement, cheesy props or “reporter involvement,” in an effort to [...]
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Posted on October 13th, 2011 by Deb Wenger
It’s not easy communicating with a camera lens, but it something you get better at with practice. So says Craig Ford, who has been anchoring at WTVA in Tupelo for the past 11 years. “I still record nearly every newscast,” says Ford. “Not because I like to watch myself, but because I want to critique [...]
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Posted on May 25th, 2011 by Deb Wenger
It’s one of the trickiest things about delivering a broadcast story: You have to practice sounding natural. Media consultant Joanne Stevens says on the RTDNA website that the trick is to think about “cognitive chunks.” According to Stevens, you should be deliver your copy as chunks of related information. Here are her examples: Example 1: [...]
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Posted on May 22nd, 2011 by Deb Wenger
Digital marketer Chris Lake offers a round-up of advice on writing for social media that he’s culled from some of the world’s biggest companies. They all seem highly relevant to what journalists are trying to do as well. Here are a few favorites: INTEL Always pause and think before posting. That said, reply to comments [...]
Filed under: 07. Writing for the Web, 10. Delivering the News, 12. Getting Ready for the Real World | 1 Comment »
Posted on February 10th, 2011 by Deborah Potter
With all the new demands on TV reporters these days, who would have thought that going live over the phone would be a challenge? Turns out that it is, at least for Marissa Pendergrass, a reporter at WHBF in Rock Island, Illinois, who started work there about six months ago. Writing on the RTDNA Rookie [...]
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Posted on December 16th, 2010 by Deborah Potter
The transition from general assignment reporter to multi-platform journalist isn’t always easy, but people who’ve made the switch often say they’d never go back. For Josh Hinkle of KXAN-TV in Austin, Texas, working as a one-man band makes it easier to be creative. “I don’t have to explain my concept to a photographer or editor,” [...]
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Posted on November 14th, 2010 by Deb Wenger
If you’ve spent any time in the public eye, this is going to sound familiar. Nikki Burdine is a news anchor for LEX 18 in Lexington, KY. She’s only been there a month and already she’s discovered how the anonymity of social media can bring out the “mean” in people. It was my second week [...]
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Posted on September 16th, 2010 by Deborah Potter
When you record narration for a multimedia story, do you sometimes hear yourself gasping between phrases or sentences? Those audible intakes of air can be a distraction for the audience and can also make you sound nervous, undercutting your credibility. What’s the solution? It depends in part on the cause. Some people only breathe audibly [...]
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