newscast – Page 9 – Survive Your Job In Television News

Deadline looming: How to effectively crank out multiple stories.

The idea of cranking out more with less doesn’t seem to be going away. Turning more than one story, on more than one subject, in more than one city is not easy. Just keeping the facts straight and providing perspective on multiple stories is challenging. Then come the relentless deadlines. Sometimes the packages air 10 minutes or less apart. One of them, includes a live hit. Wow, just writing about all that leaves me breathless!

So how do you effectively crank out multiple stories? Veteran reporters who make these pressures seem like turning a straight vo/sot, say two things: Organization and time management. So what does that mean?

Think about how you will write the package, while shooting
Keep interviews no longer than 5 minutes MAX
Log accurate time codes
Log and/or write every free minute

First off, think about how you will write your package while you are shooting it. You want the first part of your package mapped out in your head for two key reasons. First, it will help you craft a bridge standup that will always fit. Next, it means you must do enough research before interviewing that you can keep those interviews to 5 minutes maximum. (You really should try to keep them to about three minutes.) The reason: the longer your interviews the more you have to log. (For more on how to keep interviews short read: Developing interview skills on the beat)

Speaking of logging, your time codes need to be accurate. This is not a courtesy to your photojournalist, this is crucial to make deadline. It needs to be considered as big a deal as getting your facts straight. When slamming on deadline, you need to make sure your photojournalist or editor uses exactly what you need, and can easily find it, without having to stop down and ask you.

Finally, every free minute you have should be spent logging and writing. This means using the view finder of the camera to log if necessary. I constantly had to battle this idea with reporters. I’ll log when we get to the live shot location, etc. Not acceptable! Log while you are in the car riding. Log your first story immediately, while driving to your second story. Log while you are eating lunch, if you get one. Do not waste a single minute. You want to get done quickly so you and your photojournalist can take your time when editing. You want to factor in time for equipment failure too. You will still get down time, it will just be at the end of your day.

How to carve a niche, even when stations do not showcase talent wisely.

Die hard journalists hate when you suggest anchors are performers and newscasts are shows. Truth is there are some lessons we can learn from these “entertainment” terms about making the most of talent, both on camera and behind the scenes. I am constantly shocked at how little thought often goes into which reporter is selected to turn what story on a given day. Same goes for assigning producers to newscasts. Managers need to take the time to get to know the people in their newsroom well enough to understand what makes them tick. You need to know their interests. The reason is simple logic: If the person is interested in particular subjects he/she will turn better work related to them. Yet most newsrooms where I have worked not only don’t bother to get to know the people in the newsroom, they purposely place people in uncomfortable positions. When asked why, the common answer is “It’s their job. They need to suck it up and do what we say.” Look, no one is going to get to cover the stories they want all the time. Not every producer gets to be in charge of the bread and butter newscast. But there’s a difference in looking for great fits, and just filling slots with warm bodies.

So how do you work around it, when you are miscast in the newsroom? We are going to focus on reporters and producers in this article. First reporters: If you have subjects that really interest you (we are talking more than loving sports, think about issues like education, consumer and politics etc. You get my drift) or an area that you like covering in your DMA then start source building there. The number one way to recast yourself is to start getting exclusives or at least interesting developments on subjects you really like researching. The more you pitch these ideas, the more likely your bosses will eventually get that allowing you to focus on this area is in everyone’s best interest. Be patient. This could take time. Don’t give up. Don’t pitch a fit when you get assigned to something else. Just keep throwing out interesting ideas and you usually will carve a niche.

If you are still not getting anywhere with your story pitches, sit down with a producer on your shift (or the EP) and ask what kind of stories they want to see. They may have decided that type of news doesn’t hit their particular audience. If so, you will need to look for another interest. If you are flexible, find out what kind of coverage the producer and/or EP wants to showcase in their newscast. If you find the subject interesting start looking for stories and help out. This makes you become a team player who eventually will be able to ask for and get the stories you want to cover more often.

Now producers: It is harder to control your destiny, unless you can show you are great at raising the ratings no matter where you end up. I loved producing 5pm newscasts. I loved the thrill of the constant breaking news. I had to show I could handle that by owning breaking news no matter what newscast I was assigned. Several times I was placed on noon newscasts and told to “prove I deserved” a 5pm. The two are not that different to produce, so I jumped in full gusto and earned my 5’s. The key to getting the newscast you want is to show you are a team player who gets results. Do not whine that you deserve something. You will not get the show you want if you do. Becoming the “go to” producer that can take any newscast and raise ratings (even in one section of a show) will help. You will get moved around a bit at first, but often you will end up being given the choice of what newscast you want to produce. It is a thrilling moment when the ND or AND calls you in, and says “We are moving producers around, do you want the 11 or the 6 (or the 5!! J)?”

If there is a newscast you really want, look at what the current producer does on that shift and build on it. Yes, this is competitive. That’s the producing world. Chances are high the producer in the newscast you want will get promoted, demoted or move into management at some point. You are there showcasing your depth, ready to take over. You are a manager’s dream. Just be consistent in your product and subtle about where you want to end up, until the opening comes.

Finally, use your reviews to talk with managers about your goals. This can help them understand where you want to be “cast” and provide constructive criticism to get you there. That is an appropriate time to say, “5pm’s are my favorite to produce.” Or “ I love political coverage, is there a part of the DMA where you would want to beef up that type of coverage?” Sometimes you need to explain to management what you want and that you are willing to work for it. Remember, managers sometimes don’t just pick warm bodies to fill the newscast slots and cover the stories. They may feel they have no choice because the reporting staff seems disinterested in everything. Your review is an appropriate time to showcase your interests and request “casting,” if not immediately, then in your near future.

How to repair producer/director relationship

A frazzled producer recently asked for advice dealing with his director. Their relationship was strained. The director was starting to question this producer’s calls in the booth, and at times making calls instead of checking with the producer to see if they were on the same page. This is not uncommon. Directors are in charge of making sure the show looks clean and at times will make quick decisions while live. Your director “taking over and calling the shots” is not all bad, if you have established protocols you both agree on for certain situations. (See Right hand/left for more on how the two of you can compliment each other, by showing mutual respect.) If the director is taking over to the point where you are unable to make key decisions that could impact content making air and/or it’s affecting you timing your show, then you have a problem.

The key is to nip that kind of issue in the bud right away by sitting down and talking about it. I would usually ask the director when we could meet and discuss how the newscast is going in general terms. I wanted the chance to talk before a show aired, not right after when tensions are high. You need to be clear headed so you can both listen and figure out what needs to be done. Also, go into this type of meeting knowing the director will have criticisms and hopefully suggestions to help things run more smoothly. Keep an open mind and really listen. Relationships require some compromise. You need to be aware that directors have a lot of pressure on them as well and share your desire for a clean show. The way you two define “clean” and make decisions can vary. You need to explain where you are coming from in a non-argumentative way.

Another crucial thing to set up is a nightly discrep. meeting with your director. This used to be required in most newsrooms, but with cuts in OT pay and longer working hours, many shifts now blow off these meetings. This is a big mistake! Ideally you want the entire staff to weigh in on these meetings. If you cannot because of OT issues etc., then meet with just your director. But make sure you meet. You need the daily dialog, face-to-face, to actually talk about what went right and wrong in the newscast. And, by the way, email does not cut it. You need to look each other in the eye and talk. This helps you learn how the other person thinks so you can find common ground and set up protocols. I cannot emphasize enough how crucial it really is to have a daily meeting. Find a way, period. Make sure the meetings are short and sweet. Suggest you each come to the meeting with one thing you liked and one you didn’t. If there was an issue during the newscast, talk solutions for the next time it comes up. You can do all of this in 10 to 15 minutes. You really can. That is a small sacrifice of time to really create a solid working relationship. Tell your director that. Most will not only agree, but be happy to meet.

Finally, make sure even when you are really ticked about a call the director made you remain respectful. Your director is a professional and likely extremely passionate about his/her job too. Openly respect that level of dedication. It will only help you both grow and your newscast get better.

It’s news time and everyone’s yawning: How to energize the newscast at air time.

I could not help but smile recently when a producer tweeted and asked for ideas to keep energy levels up during newscasts. I immediately thought of all the late night football and baseball games I sat through, praying it would just end and wondering if I would fall asleep driving home. I also thought of my first gig as a morning show producer, where I had to pace around the station just before the newscast so I would be somewhat functional in the booth.

Keeping energy levels up during these newscasts is the burden of both the anchors and producers. Heck, the reporters and photojournalists have to stay awake also. It’s brutal at times, I know. But there are ways to energize even when your body is screaming, “Must sleep now!!!”

Energizing newscasts

Write how anchors talk
Have anchors write some stories
Trade reads
Add stories, even if there are not any breakers
Jokes and music blasts
Get up, stand up

In “How to get inside your anchors heads” we list quite a few techniques to help write how your anchor talks. This is important for anchors to keep their energy levels up. Sometimes when it all feels forced, and you are tired, it is easy to sort of give up and just muddle through the copy. Using phrases the anchor likes helps the anchor own it and raises energy levels.

It works even better if you have the anchors write some of the stories they will read. Producers, look at that line again. Have anchors write stories they will read. Sure once in a while you will have to change reads, and the writing won’t work out. I usually asked my anchors to write stories lower in the newscast where energy levels dipped, and the chance of read changes went way down. The point is your anchor will deliver the copy better if it is truly “theirs.” It provides a level of ownership that helps the anchor be more engaged throughout the newscast. Producers, this can make your job a little easier also. No, not just because it can ease up the writing load. This is one of the first techniques I used to raise meter numbers in weak spots. Often there is a correlation with anchor energy levels and newscast ratings dipping. Sometimes the answer really is simple. Get the anchors more involved in that section of your newscast.

Another trick is to mix things up a bit and trade reads if you see the anchors energy levels dipping. Hit the commercial break, then tell the anchors and crew you are switching reads for the block. The first few times you might get some complaints, but often doing this hypes up everyone’s energy levels a bit and you get a tighter, more energetic block. I would not use this technique every day. But if you have had several slow newscasts, try this technique on and off to keep everyone guessing a little bit.

A producer tweeted that she adds stories throughout her morning show, even if there are no breakers, just to keep everyone sharp. I have used this technique also. This is easy to do if you have an AP. If you don’t have one, write a few extra vo’s or vo/sots before the show and have the editors prepare them. Throw them in the bottom of the rundown after the end break so they don’t whack your timing. The editors can have these stories cut and ready just in case. This is also a great way to protect yourself in case a live crew has technical issues. If your anchors ad lib well, give them a story once in a while on the fly. This helps keep them in practice for when you get slammed with breakers.

I used to joke with live crews and anchors, when appropriate during newscasts. Usually I joked around with crews in the commercial break before the block that contained their live hit. It broke the ice a bit and would perk them up. Just be tasteful and don’t drag it out. One liners are great! A quick blast of a guitar solo in the ifb also perked everyone up. Again, not a good idea to do to anchors or live crews during the news block. But many times your crews, you and your audio person have a few seconds during commercial breaks.

When all else fails tell everyone to get up and jump or twist or walk during commercial breaks. That little bit of movement really does help. When the lead-in was a sports event I liked scripting more anchor pitches in standing positions if possible. I used to demand more walk and talks from live reporters as well. It just helps when you move around.

So next time everyone’s wiped out and its airtime, try some of these tricks. It might wake everyone up, just in time!