Tag: Writing

The emotional toll: How to cope with horrifying stories.

Since this website started, we have had several awful events that really challenge your faith in humanity and your journalistic integrity.  When the shootings happened in Aurora, several journalists DM’d about the emotional toll covering that story took on them.  Many local, Colorado, journalists stated that station  management did not seem to understand just how hard it was to cover the story day in and out.

Now journalists are trying to help viewers make sense of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary.  The ages of the children involved, is staggering.  As some of you pointed out in our discussions, these kids were young enough to still believe in Santa Claus.  They symbolized innocence and all that is good about humanity.

Unfortunately, it is part of the job to cover horrible things like this story.  It is part of the job to watch horrific crime scene video to see if it should be released to the public.  It is part of the job to comb through records in a case that describe, in horrible detail, how long a child was buried alive before finally suffocating and dying.  But we are also human.  These facts and images do take an emotional toll.

So this article is an attempt to let you know it is okay to hurt.  It is okay to be angry and to question.  This article is a reminder to managers across the country that your journalists know it is part of the job to report on these types of stories, but that it can take an emotional toll.  Offer some sort of support, even if it’s a reminder that the company offers free counseling services through an toll free number.

If you are finding that these events leave you raw or numb, talk about it.  Call that 800 line.  Call your spiritual guide if you attend some sort of church.  If you don’t have a spiritual guide, go to the inspirational section of a book store and look up a title.  We all need to be reminded that some things are bigger than us.  Go to a yoga class.  Beef up your workout to relieve stress.  Eat a little comfort food!  Bottom line:  Do not ignore the emotions.  It is simply not healthy.  It is not good for you or the audience you try and serve.  Our Facebook page has a place to comment and discuss your thoughts if you’d like.  We know from covering news that some people find it therapeutic to say or write their thoughts down and share them.  If you need, do it also.  No judging.  We need to support each other, when these kinds of stories happen.  We need a place to separate from the job and be human as well.  Otherwise, these kinds of stories will take a long term emotional toll on all of us.

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That term is suspect: When to use the word and when to avoid.

By now most of you know we have a cliché list of words and phrases you just should not use.  “Allegedly” is one of the very worst, and we explained how to get around it.  Now let’s talk about another very overused, and obviously misunderstood term: “suspect.”

By definition “suspect” means: “to think (a person) guilty without having proof.”  It is a term police, lawyers and judges use.  Viewers get the essence of it, quite possibly more than most newsies.  I say that because when you watch an a-block in most newsrooms around the country, you hear “suspect” being used, in a way it should not, constantly.

Here’s a common example, when describing a convenience store robbery with surveillance video. “Here you see the masked suspects approaching the counter with guns and demanding cash from the register.” Um, no.  “Here you see the robbers pointing guns at the cashier.”  The people with the guns, who then take handfuls of cash from the register are not “suspects.” They are the people who did it.  Police may not know their names yet but, you can see in the video, they are the “robbers.” The people in the video are guilty, the video shows proof. You see them committing the criminal act.

Now here’s what to do, if the person is not wearing a mask.  As we explained in “Getting around allegedly” if you see the person doing it and police confirm that’s what happened, simply attribute it.  “Police say you are watching a man rob this store.”  “Suspect” is not going to help you here. The man is seen holding the gun.  State the facts.  Attribute to police.

Inexperienced writers, if you are unsure, exercise caution.  These concepts take a while to grasp.  Remember, you must attribute.  Words like “suspect” do not really protect you.  Saying for example, “Police call Joe Schmo a suspect.” can still create problems.  You can say police have identified a suspect and not show a face or say a name.  Remember, unless the person is a public figure, the name is less important to viewers than the fact investigators are moving forward and possibly solving the crime.  The safest bet, is to wait to say a name until there are charges.  Once a person is arrested, they are no longer simply a suspect.  So saying “Suspect Joe Schmo is charged with.” is not a protection.  The term suspect, has to be used clearly, not as a crutch phrase.

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Why generic video is a killer for TV news.

Yes, the title of this article is a strong statement. TV news is up against some large hurdles, the largest being making sure your newscasts and stories actually have impact for the viewer.  If they don’t, viewers leave.  Generic video creates an instant disconnect.  That’s why I defined it and talked about ways around in Show it, explain it, and that’s why I am dedicating a second article.  It is important to understand that this common crutch really kills credibility.

If viewers watch a story, and the video doesn’t make sense with the words two things happen:  The viewer gets confused and misses half of the story, and the viewer starts wondering if the person reading the story knows what he/she is even talking about.  Think about it, would you do a presentation for a group of people and not use the correct power point diagrams?  Would you notice if the graphics don’t make sense and become angry that the speaker keeps flashing them up anyway, just so there is something on a screen?  This is how generic video comes off to TV news viewers.  It is confusing, and frustrating.

Viewers want to grasp what you are saying and showing to them.  Video and sound help imprint it in their busy minds, so they actually remember what was said, who said it and what it meant.  That is too powerful a tool, to just write a story, and hope the video makes sense.  You must know what your images are, and relate the facts to the video.  Otherwise you are telling viewers to go elsewhere, because your station is clueless.

So if you want to stand out on the job, and as a journalist period, show video, use sound, and explain it.  Vow to never put a piece of video into your package or your newscast that you don’t reference in some way.  It’s time to say goodbye to generic video.

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Writer’s Block. Ways to inspire at crunch time.

My brain’s favorite time to develop writers block was sweeps, when I was slamming copy before the newscast.  (Sound familiar?  Who’s with me?)  It’s not an ideal time to stare at the screen and hope the words just come.  So how do you get around that blank screen and blank mind?  These techniques just might spark some inspiration.

Keep some of your favorite writing in a folder

Great writing, inspires great writing.  Keep a folder with your favorite teases, vo’s and other nice writing handy.  This can be stuff you wrote or something a mentor wrote.  The point is, by pulling out the folder and reading some of these beauties, you might just get inspired.  The techniques you notice in these scripts might trigger ideas.

Look at how other producers or reporters wrote the story, with goal of making yours different

Most of us thrive on the thrill of competition.  Hopping into another rundown and looking at how a different reporter or producer wrote the story naturally sets off the “I can top that!” instinct that’s innate in most newsies.  It often helps you quickly brainstorm a different approach or angle and, next thing you know, you bang out a bunch of good copy.

Get up and walk around

A change in scenery can really refresh your mind.  Get up from your desk or the live truck and walk around.  Get the blood rushing to your brain again.  The longer you sit, the more comatose you feel and the less you think.  You know the drill.  A quick walk often gets everything moving again, including your news brain.

Eat a snack.

Keep a little something around to munch on.  I know we are all calorie conscious.  So, it doesn’t  have to be chocolate.  In fact, something crunchy, can be a good distraction as well.  Often when you reach for the snack you realize you didn’t eat lunch. (Again, sound familiar?) You can’t write well when you are out of fuel.

The most important thing to do is not panic, especially if the writer’s block hits when you are really slamming on deadline.  If none of these tricks work and you are down to one story, see if someone else can throw in a first line for you.  That can be enough to get the ball rolling and finish the script.  Bottom line, you will get the work done.  You have to!

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