pitch – Survive Your Job In Television News

By now you have read plenty about this case. You may have even written and/or voiced over stories about it. There are a lot of compelling articles that explain what we TV journalists have done right and especially wrong while covering the Martin shooting. I am not going there. Instead I am going to explain why this case can and more than likely will end up defining your career in some way.

This is the type of story and event that truly tests the limits of journalism. It tests the ability to be objective. It tests news philosophies. It tests personal ethics while on the job. For this reason, I strongly encourage you to keep a file of everything you read, watch and write about the case. Just file it all away. Write notes about any conflicts within you and add these thoughts to your file. Keep copies of your favorite stories you watched, and the ones you liked the least. Write notes on what you like and do not like about the coverage. The reason: As this case plays out, your views on ethics and philosophy will likely change a lot. So will the critics. We will talk about how this case was covered for years to come. Professors worth their salt are already beginning to track and possibly discuss it with future journalists.

The Martin case will become a litmus test for many news companies and news managers as they continue trying to shape what television news is becoming. There are too many hot button issues in it for the case not to become more than a story that simply comes and goes. Those issues will come up as managers consider newsroom policies on everything from fact checking affiliate copy to social media policy. For this reason, it will serve as the perfect talking point when feeling out the news philosophy at a station where you are interviewing. This case is so big, every news management team has likely had to make some sort of ethical call on it already. It will not be the last time either. Asking pointed questions about the Martin case to a news director or AND when you are job interviewing will be a good way to feel out their personal journalistic integrity also. Are you both in sync?

The Martin case is also a good litmus test for you to gauge your own value system and journalistic work. As you go into difficult scenarios in the future, draw on what you thought was done correctly in the Martin case. Remind yourself of the ethical issues that arose when coverage was less than thorough. It is a good reminder to us all that we cannot ever get too comfortable or too numb while covering stories. There are often many layers. Do we get to them, or leave them buried? Do we jump to conclusions? Have you? Really asking yourself and current and future news bosses these questions will help you define yourself as a journalist. It will help you brand yourself. It will help you weed out stations that may vary too much from your news philosophy. With examination, personally and as a professional group, the Martin case could help us define what TV News should be, and will become.

After years of excruciatingly long and painfully tedious story idea meetings, it is time to decode what management and producers want to hear during content pitches. Reporters, you deserve a fair chance to get the story you want to do on the air. You just have to know how to pitch. Sadly, in my experience over the years, many reporters have no idea what to do. You get hums and haws. You ask a follow up question, mostly because the story is starting to intrigue you and the reporter blurts out in an annoyed tone, “I don’t know I need to make a call, can I do it or not?”

Pitching to a room full of grumpy journalists is not fun. I know. Producers seem to love to poo-poo anything you bring up. Often it seems apparent that the producers and managers already know what stories they want (from the newspaper or competition) and could care less what you bring into the meeting. Here’s a little secret: Often if there are better story ideas, managers and producers will throw those preset plans out the window and jump on fresh stuff. They do walk in with a blueprint to keep from free falling all day. You are talking to a group of control freak, hyper planners. It’s what makes them good at their jobs. They have the backups ready. But managers often hope if you are assigned certain types of stories often enough, you will eventually start pitching those types of stories yourself. In other words, they can’t figure out how to explain what they want, so they assign the kind of stories they want and hope you figure it out.

So here’s how to show you get it and really rock a story pitch. First, immediately describe the first image and type of sound bite you think you can get out of the story. Producers think visually. They need to see the images in their heads and feel how it will play out on the TV screen. They need this as much or more than reporters. It’s how they “feel” their newscasts when determining what goes where. Next, explain in 1 or 2 sentences how the story impacts the key demographic for the shows. Yes, you need to know this stuff! It saves you from wanting to bang your head into the wall every day. That is the information producers and managers use to decide content. You cannot come in with effective pitches without the same perspective. Just remember that’s a key reason why managers and producers often seem to have predetermined what reporters are covering. They are using their audience knowledge.

Now knock the socks off the powers that be, and throw in a tease line (it doesn’t have to be beautiful, just an outline) so the producer can see how to showcase the story. By doing this you show you understand the story yourself, and you have found the “WIFM” (if you don’t know what that means read What’s the viewer benefit really?) Now you explained the story’s potential impact, then you teased it for them. That’s like wooing them with a tonic, simply irresistible!

After showcasing impact, the next biggest thing managers and producers want to know in your pitch is if you’ve done any legwork on the story already. Remember, they are thinking in 30 minute to 1 hour increments, not a 2 minute package time. They are making calculated guesses on whether you are BS’ing about a story to look good in front of your peers or if you can really pull it all off. Often they will risk one or two “iffy” turns with great potential. The slam dunk turn with audience appeal is a producer’s dream. You will really impress if you can state “This is a sure turn.” and then pull it off.

Also, know that they tell you they want exclusives from all of you each and every day, but they know that’s not realistic. If you get information on a solid follow up, do not be afraid to pitch it. Those stories are important to show that the station is really involved in the community, not just exploiting random events. A solid pitch on a follow up can have a lot of appeal.

Finally, if all of these tricks don’t work, ask to buy a producer a drink one night and find out why your story ideas are getting blown off. Sometimes managers and producers have cast you in a type of role for the newscasts that you don’t know about. Yes, they really should tell you. But, realistically, that just doesn’t always happen. So be proactive and ask what more you can offer to really nail a story pitch in the editorial meeting. Your sanity will thank you!

Tag: pitch

How the Trayvon Martin case can help define your news career.

Make your sell: How to effectively pitch story ideas.