Television Reporting

JMC 330b/Craig Allen

PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS
DUE DATES --Wednesday, October 7; 4 p.m. (Proj. 2)
Wednesday. October 28; 4 p.m. (Proj. 3)
Wednesday, November 18; 4 p.m. (Proj. 4)
Wednesday, December 2; 4 p.m. (Proj. 5)
Monday, December 7; 3 p.m. (Proj. 6)

REQUIREMENTS -- This assignment requires you to shoot, write, and edit a news package story and
compose a script for the story. For the news package, you will need to submit both your video and a printed
script that includes an anchor leadin.
The choice of topics is left to you, although the story you select must have a clear news angle. The
timeliness of your story is a major determinate in the strength of your news angle. Explicit in your story must be
a reason for a producer to air this material close to the date it is turned in. The package story must have the
following elements:
at least one standup (open, bridge, or close)
at least two segments of narration with video (video/voice over)
at least one soundbite
The duration of the video news package story must not be less than 1:20. The duration must not
exceed 1:50. (The 1:20-1:50 timeframe presumes a standard 10-second written anchor leadin, which can be
turned in later, such that the final total running time ranges between 1:30-2:00.)
You may need to recruit an assistant to execute the shooting phase of this assignment. This is
because you must perform in the standups and soundbites. Except for the standups and soundbites,
you should shoot all of your own video. All of the video that appears will be your responsibility, including the
composition and quality of the standups and soundbites.
After you have finished shooting your standups, soundbites, and video, your next task is writing the
script and recording your narration. Because of the complexity of the editing phase, you should shoot your
material and arrange editing time well in advance of the project due date. You must anticipate the unexpected,
particularly technical issues, that may extend your timetable for completion the project.
All equipment (cameras and editing facilities) must be arranged in accordance with the school's
checkout procedures.
Late assignments will be accepted but penalized one-third of a grade on the due date and an
additional one-third for every class session that elapses in which the project is not turned in.
GRADING CRITERIA
writing, reporting, & construction (conversational writing, reporting needs, sequencing,
matching words and pictures)
shooting (video composition and picture quality)
story idea
execution (news angle, news judgment, inclusion of needed elements)
needed/unneeded elements
editing

FRANK N. MAGID ASSOCIATES

TIPS ON STORY SELECTION
Reporters must develop a nose for news. They always must be ahead of the curve
and leadnot followthe news agenda.
Brainstorming is the crux of reporting. It is through thinking that one develops the
skill of sniffing out news. Anyone can report a story thats been seen 100 times. Its easy to
do your own version of a item thats been in the news again and again and again. Our news
directors hire reporters who report new and original content.
Every story needs to be a scoop. Reporters are like private investigators in movies
who find out what no one else knows. While there is no formula for developing a nose for
news, here are some tips to consider when deciding what stores to pursue:
Does the story have a fixed and current time element? In other words, is it news? Is
it pegged to something happening now? Have you made sure the story will not be generic
news--a story that could be played next year--or five years from now--without any change?
Does the story have a focus (e.g., a spin)? Does it clearly state what is new? Is
the focus simple and crystal clear, that is, can it been stated in a six-second headline? Will
the focus stay in focus all the way through?
If the story treats a usual, annual, retread, or generic topic (college radio, the next
commencement), is there something new? Whats the new angle this year? Does your story
clearly state, in effect: This years commencement is unlike all others. Thats because . . .
Does the story have a beginning, middle, and end? Does it lead the viewer logically
from Location A to Location B to Location C? Have you made sure your TV news report will
not be televised newspaper story, in which content ping-pings between soundbite,
information, more soundbite, more information?
Are there visual possibilities sufficient to keep your narration long and soundbites
short?
Finally, does the story answer why hundreds of thousands of TV viewers would care?
Is there a money element, such as a new tax that all must pay? Is there be a personal
element, such as a medical breakthrough that can change the way people live? Have you
thought about these three things: heart, head, and pocketbook?

NEWS STORY IDEAS PREFERRED BY NEWS DIRECTORS

Adapted from Frank N. Magid Associates, News Directors and the Stories They Like

Story Ideas That Might Cause a News Director to Watch Your Entire Audition Video
ASUs skyrocketing dropout rate
ASUs decline as a party school
ASU student with new unique trait
Breaking spot news report
New car thefts on campus
New derelicts on campus
New fake IDs
Flu pandemic emergency plan of ASU
New housing/tenant/rent dispute
Mill Avenue shops, clubs going out of business
New stride of ASUs mission-to-Mars team
New scheivement of ASUs Nobel Prize winner
New athlete with truly unique trait
New protest over textbook costs
New alternative religion on campus

Ride-along with Tempe/Phoenix police

New strike or walkout
New sniper response plan by campus DPS
New student lifestyle at downtown campus
New outbreak of student gambling
New probe of students in Hells Angels
New concerns about convicted felons
Feature on students who skydive
Student with new life-changing conflict
Student who wins big contest/lottery
Students with mortgages caught in housing crunch
Students with risqu jobs to pay tuition
New textbook protest
Why ASU athletes have high GPAs

Story Ideas a News Director Might Watch if He/She Has Time

Any kind of scheduled, pre-planned event
A speech
A news conference
Campaign rally
Fundraising event
Handicapped students
Immigration rally
New building construction on campus

Profile on ASU alum who became famous

Profile on athlete with interesting trait
Profile on championship-bound team
Status of ASU diversity
Students with an interesting conflict
Student who wins routine contest/lottery
Unusual animals
Unusual classes

Story Ideas That Might Cause a News Director to Watch the Next Persons Audition
Video
A walk-a-thon
A fundraiser
Annual event in which a good time was had by all
A cell phone
A website
An Android phone
An iPhone
Gas prices
Global warming
Light rail
News story with file video
Technology comes to the classroom

A mobile appProfile on athlete with no special trait

Preview of ASU football/basketball/baseball game
Recap of ASU football/basketball/baseball game
A sorority/fraternity has fundraiser philanthropy
Sports story with off-air game video
Students who go to class
Students who have opinions
Students with familiar conflicts
Profile on athlete with no unique trait
The Pac-12
Tuition is high
The Blaze radio