Some things rarely change. TV news writing is one of them, unfortunately. More than a decade ago, I noticed something about both network and local newscasts that drove me nuts and wrote a column about it. This morning, I got…
Every writer knows the KISS rule: Keep It Simple, Stupid! But too many writers forget to apply it, loading their stories with so much information that the viewers’ eyes glaze over. KGO reporter Wayne Freedmancompares the way writers over-stuff stories…
Think Strunk and White are too old school? Think again. Their legendary grammar guide, The Elements of Style, has been brought up to date by two Columbia J-school students in this new rap version: Not everyone thinks Strunk and White’s…
What could be more basic than a profile story, right? Yet, Sara Jackson a reporter and editor for UPI says they’re harder to write well than you may think. “Even with profiles, it’s important to have a news hook —…
“It’s not about the beer,” says Boyd Huppert, describing an assignment to profile a successful local brewery. Instead, Huppert’s story focused on the family behind the business — tapping into a universal theme. “My goal is to go out and…
Jason Lamb is a Murrow Award-winning TV news writer from Anchorage, AK. Earlier this week, he shared how meticulous logging of video is one of the building blocks of effective storytelling. Lamb says another key component is taking time to…
The Murrow Award for writing “demonstrates excellence in writing that conveys the feeling and significance of events to the listener or viewer.” That’s the goal of great storytelling, isn’t it? To help make the news matter. Last year’s national winner…
Jonathan Glenn says you just have to love telling stories to be a good writer, but Glenn, who works on the Fox Report, also has some concrete suggestions for telling good TV stories. “After you’ve gathered all the information you…
One of the best things about awards season is the chance to see incredible work produced by some of the best reporters and photographers in the business. This year, the Sigma Delta Chi Award for large market TV feature reporting…
If you’re just starting out in the news business or even thinking about a career in journalism, you may feel a little overwhelmed by everything you think you need to know. Don’t be. Every good journalist learns on the job.…
