Two things about broadcast news we need to understand

Substance and format

Writing a TV news script: the substance

Writing a TV news scriptIt’s brief

Writing a TV news scriptIt’s briefGotta gather as many facts and video as

time permits

Writing a TV news scriptIt’s briefGotta gather as many facts and video as

time permitsUse friendly, conversational tone

Writing a TV news scriptIt’s briefGotta gather as many facts and video as

time permitsUse friendly, conversational toneActive voice

Writing a TV news scriptIt’s briefGotta gather as many facts and video as

time permitsUse friendly, conversational toneActive voicePresent tense

Writing a TV news scriptIt’s briefGotta gather as many facts and video as

time permitsUse friendly, conversational toneActive voicePresent tenseAttribution before quotes

Writing a TV news script“Talking head bad. Video good.”

Writing a TV news script“Talking head bad. Video good.”Write to your best video: lead with the

strongest shots

Writing a TV news script“Talking head bad. Video good.”Write to your best video: lead with the

strongest shotsEngage emotions

It’s live and you never know...

Format your story: the style

Format your story: the styleIdea is to make your copy readable and to

fit exactly into the news slot

Format your story: the styleIdea is to make your copy readable and to

fit exactly into the news slotSpells out who says what and what the

viewer is seeing on screen

Format your story: the styleIdea is to make your copy readable and to

fit exactly into the news slotSpells out who says what and what the

viewer is seeing on screenMuch more complicated and technical than

print or internet media

Format your story: the styleIdea is to make your copy readable and to

fit exactly into the news slotSpells out who says what and what the

viewer is seeing on screenMuch more complicated and technical than

print or internet mediaNo standardization from station to station

Here’s what we’ll use for WLAF-TV

Here’s what we’ll use for WLAF-TVAlways use split-page format (two columns)

Here’s what we’ll use for WLAF-TVAlways use split-page format (two columns)Left shows what viewers see; length of

segment (TRT); and who’s saying it

Here’s what we’ll use for WLAF-TVAlways use split-page format (two columns)Left shows what viewers see; length of

segment (TRT); and who’s saying itRight column shows the exact words the

viewer will hear

WLAF-TV styleAll copy being read is ALL CAPS

WLAF-TV styleAll copy being read is ALL CAPSThe words being spoken in sound-bites or

SOT will be in lower case (initial caps) in Italics

WLAF-TV styleAll copy being read is ALL CAPSThe words being spoken in sound-bites or

SOT will be in lower case (initial caps) in Italics

Put the name of newscast, date and your name (as the writer) in upper left

On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpected

On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,

inflection and interpretation

On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,

inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud:

On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,

inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud: can

it be read easily and naturally

On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,

inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud: can

it be read easily and naturally; is it easy to understand

On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,

inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud: can

it be read easily and naturally; is it easy to understand; is it conversational;

On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,

inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud: can

it be read easily and naturally; is it easy to understand; is it conversational; get rid of awkward words

On camera tipsBe ready for the unexpectedE’s and I’s! Energy, enthusiasm, emphasis,

inflection and interpretationAs you write your copy, say it out loud: can

it be read easily and naturally; is it easy to understand; is it conversational; get rid of awkward words; determine real length of story

So let’s try itWrite and record a 40-second story. You are

a reporter for WLAF-TV. You are at the scene of a train-car crash. A Tropicana juice train carrying 2.5 million cartons of juice rammed a Dodge Ram truck at the intersection of US 301 and 27th Street in Bradenton. No one is hurt. You are leading in to a sound-bite from the train engineer, April Showers.

Write anchor lead, record reporter live at scene, interview with April Showers, reporter back to anchor, write anchor outro

TeamsSophie & LucySarah & Bret

Assignment 3/4Prepare and tape a one-minute news

package

Assignment 3/4Prepare and tape a one-minute news

packageYou will turn in your script and show the

video next weekJust make up the content (e.g., local teen

wins $450 million powerball lottery)! Interview friends, the ‘rents, neighbors. Use all of the techniques we’ve discussed.