Course Title: News bulletin management

MODULE I :
Making of a news report/special program(non-fiction)
What's the story? Before starting any news report, the most important point to
remember is: Keep it simple. Think about how can you tell the story in the most
engaging way, without making it too complicated.
For the purposes of showing how to make a news report, the students in this video
had fun impersonating the head teacher and school chef.
However, it is important to remember news is based on fact and your news report
should be true and accurate.
Planning
STICK TO THE FACTS
For the purposes of showing how to make a news report, the students in this video had fun
impersonating the head teacher and school chef.
However, it is important to remember news is based on fact and your news report should be true and
accurate

As with any story, you must plan how you want to start your report and how you want
to end it. This will keep your story heading in the right direction, and you won't miss
out any important information in the middle.
When planning your report, you will need to consider the five Ws. These are:

What - What is the story? Get the facts right before starting your report.

Why - Why is the story important to your audience? Which points do you need
to focus on to get their interest?

Who - Who is involved? Think about who will be able to tell their sides of the
story in an interesting way. Make sure they're available to film when you need
them. Remember, if you want to film anyone under the age of 18, you must
get permission from their parent or guardian. If you are filming at school, in
school time, this permission can be given by the head teacher.

Where - Where is the story happening, and where is the best place to film? If
you're shooting outside of school, you may need to get permission first.

When - Has the story already happened, or is it about to happen? If there's

going to be a significant event you want to report on, make sure you get there
on time!

By planning each of these points in detail, you'll know exactly what you need to film,
where and when. That way, you won't miss out on anything when you're on location,
or waste tape by filming things you don't need.
Filming - Once you have done all your planning, then you can start to film.
A basic TV news report is made up of five parts:

Introduction - This is where the reporter starts to explain the story. Don't make
it too long, keep it short and snappy.

First interview - The first person you talk to will give their opinion on what is
happening, and how it affects them.

Second interview - You need to talk to someone with a different opinion, to

provide balance.

Extra shots - These show the audience more about the place and the people
in the story. They make the report more interesting.

Conclusion - This will be the reporter's sign-off, where they summarise the
outcome, or possible outcomes, of the story.

Think carefully about where you want to set up each of the shots, using different
backgrounds and angles to keep it interesting for the audience.
For example, reporters can look straight at the camera when they do their
introductions and sign-offs. These are called "pieces to camera".
This interviewee stands on one side of the frame looking to the reporter on the other
side
Interviewees usually stand on one side of the frame looking over to the other side of
the screen. This is because they are looking at the reporter, who stands on one side
of the camera, so you can't see them in the shot.
Be very careful to check your audio levels too. Wear your headphones! Without good
sound you won't be able to use the video that goes with it.
Equipment
Always bring plenty of pens and paper, spare camera batteries and tapes. If you run
out during an interview, you won't be able to finish your story. And if you've got a
tripod, take it with you to keep the shots steady.
Health and safety
When filming, you and your team's safety is top priority. Don't film in dangerous
places - in the road, for example, or balancing on top of something. Be careful of
cables and leads - keep them out of the way so people don't trip over.
Planning ahead can really help, so you know where you're going and don't get lost.
Always make sure someone in charge knows where you will be.
Tips on Writing a News Report
If you need are writing a news report, you need to concentrate on the four important
parets of a new story - the news, context, impact and emotion. The way you combine
these four elements will determine the success of your news story.
Balancing Facts and Style - Readers need to know the facts and who or what may
be affected by them. Related stories and background information make up the
context and the emotional parts of the story show the human side of it.
Following are tips on writing a compelling and gripping news report.

Facts: The facts will answer the: who, what, when, where, why, and how of the news
event. A writer has a responsibility to make sure his facts are accurate. If you have to
write a report before you get all the facts, then say that in the report.

Style: When writing a news report, use the active voice. The active voice is more
understandable and has more impact. Make short, concise sentences with action
verbs. Your language needs to be simple and not have extra words that dont really
contribute to the focus of the story. For example, the weather or how someone is
dressed doesnt need to be included unless it has a bearing on the overall story.
While you are writing, try to anticipate any questions a reader might have while
reading your story.
Writing a Good Lead
The lead is the first few sentences of the story. It needs to be strong so it will grab the
readers and make them want to read more.

If it is a hard news story, which is the breaking news or up-to-the-minute news, then
you include as many facts as you can in the summary of the story.
If it is a soft news story, which is a human interest story or background information,
then you put the facts in the body of the story.
Leads need to tell the reader what the story is about and why it is important. The lead
tells the reader why he should read the story. It needs to sound like you are having a
conversation; that you are telling a friend about the latest news.

Some errors that are found in leads include the lead having more than one main
idea. When this happens, the reader is unclear as to what the story is about.
Some leads are lifeless, and need some tension or something that pushes the
reader to read on, like dangling a carrot in front of a hungry rabbit.
Leads are sometimes dull and predictable. Its good to make the reader smile or be
surprised sometimes.
Lastly, leads can exclude certain readers if they are full of jargon. Make sure the
news report is suitable for everyone to read.
Tips for Better Writing - Here are a few additional tips for writing that apply to writing
in general:

Words should not be too long or complicated. A news story is not the place to try and
impress people with your intelligence or your command of the English language. Pick
your words carefully so they are concise and you will use fewer words overall.
Make sure your sentences are under 25 words and contain only one idea. Use a
simple subject verb object form.
Dont use too many commas.
Paragraphs need to say something new and, like sentences, be short and to the
point.
Never put more than three prepositional phrases into one sentence.
Never put more than three numbers in one sentence.
Shooting: studio, outdoor: location, shots, bytes

MODULE II
Scripting:
fast news, package, anc shot, anc gfx, backgrounder
How to Write a News Script for TV News
Writing a news script for television seems so simple, until you try it for the first time.
Experts in English or print journalism often struggle with turning stories into tight
scripts that are meant to be heard, not read. While you'll spend your entire career
perfecting your TV news writing style, mastering the basics of how to write a news
script will provide a foundation for success. These news writing tips help you create
strong content for TV news with every single script:
1. Write for the Ear - Read your script out loud. Is it easy to understand just by hearing
it one time only? Unlike in print, a TV news audience has one shot to get the story.
That's why words that sound alike but have different meanings create stumbling
blocks for the ear. Words such as "cite", "site" and "sight" should be avoided if
possible. Short, punchy sentences are easier for the ear to digest than long,
complicated sentences that are full of dependent clauses.
2. Avoid Passive Voice - Passive voice writing jumbles up the usual sequence of
subject, verb, object in active voice writing. This sounds like a lesson from English
class, but it really makes a critical difference in broadcast news writing. An active
voice sentence is, "The robber fired the gun." You see the subject, verb and object. A
passive sentence is, "The gun was fired by the robber." The object and verb came
before the subject. Viewers have to wait until the end of the line to know who did
what. Then their brain has to process that information while trying to keep up with
what the newscaster is saying. Beware of the "by" in a sentence. That's usually a
giveaway the sentence has been written in passive voice.
3. Use Present Tense Where Appropriate - TV news is designed to sound like "now."
That's another big difference between broadcast and print news writing.
A 6:00 p.m. newscast needs to sound fresh, as if the news is just now unfolding.
But the mayor's news conference you covered happened at 2 o'clock. The natural
tendency is to write, "The mayor held a news conference earlier today."
By shifting the focus of the sentence to the subject of the news conference, you can
put the sentence in present tense and give it extra punch. "The mayor says he wants
to slash taxes by 20 percent. He made the announcement at a news conference..."
That example starts out in present tense for the hook, then shifts to past tense. It's
important not to simply force the present tense into every sentence you write. It
would sound awkward in a 6 p.m. newscast to say, "He makes the announcement at
a news conference that happens at 2 o'clock."
4. Write Stories about People - This seems obvious, but it's easy to allow a script to
veer away from focusing on the people who are watching your newscast. If viewers
sense your stories don't directly affect them, they will turn away. So when the state
department of transportation announces a huge infrastructure improvement project
that involves replacing bridges around your city, you may be presented with

institutional information. But transform it into something personal and meaningful to

the people at home. "Your drive to work or school will soon be safer and easier,
thanks to a big project to make our city's bridges better." You've taken the
information and told viewers how it could change their lives. Dissect press kits,
graphs and data before you start writing to determine why your viewers will care
about it.
5. Action Verbs Add Verve - In news writing, you can't do much to the subject or object
of your sentences, but you can spice up your verbs. They are the part of speech that
can bring life to your stories. Look at a story to see whether you can switch a
sentence that says "Residents are requesting information..." to "Residents demand
answers." That easy change adds urgency and action. Before you get carried away,
remember your story still has to be accurate. "Demand" may be too strong. Try,
"Residents want to know." Using "is, are, was, were" weakens the impact of the
action. "Residents want answers" sounds better than "Residents are wanting
answers."
6. Be Careful with Numbers - Numbers are hard on the viewers' ears, especially when
there are a lot of them. Make your point with a number or two, then move on.
Instead of, "The company's profit was $10,470,000, then fell to $5,695,469 a year
later," you can simplify the line to be, "The company's profit was about 10 and-a-half
million dollars, then fell to about half that the next year." The viewer gets the idea
without having to hear every last digit. It's ideal to take big numbers and translate
them into something meaningful for the audience. Besides pointing out that the
electric company is raising rates by $3.5 million, take the time to say that the hike
means a typical customer will pay $200 more a year. That's the number that affects
people the most.
7. Skip Cliches and Journalese - Even experienced news writers fall into a trap of
writing the same tired words and phrases. Powerful storms always "wreak havoc",
political candidates "throw their hat into the ring" and the moments after a crime has
happened "details are sketchy." Those empty terms make your news writing seem
shallow. Replace them with words that normal people would actually use in
conversation. Reporters often use journalese when they are confronted with the
cliches of other professions and merely repeat what they hear. A police officer may
say a shooting suspect "fled on foot". It's a TV news writer's job to change that to
"ran away". The law enforcement, government and health care industries have their
own way of speaking, which shouldn't be repeated on the air. Otherwise, your news
writing sounds like it came straight from a press release.
8. Write to Video - Many TV news stories are read as the audience watches video
playing on the screen. Connect the words to the video as if you were leading a tour
group. That requires you to know what is going to be on screen as the viewers hear
the script. Once you have that information, the rest is easy. If you're talking about an
embezzlement suspect while the video shows that suspect walking down the street
with his lawyer, say, "The suspect, seen here on the left walking to the courthouse
with his lawyer." That reference to the video keeps the viewer from wondering which
of the two people is the suspect while missing out on the rest of the story. A line like,
"Watch what happens when firefighters try to get the kitten out of the tree," forces the
viewers' eyes back to the screen. Remember, some people have the news turned on

while reading the newspaper or cooking supper. Get their attention riveted to the
television.
9. Sell the Story - Print journalists may groan at this basic aspect of TV news writing. In
most cities, there's one newspaper but several TV stations providing news. That
means in television, a news writer also has to sell the product as something different
and superior to the competition. "When the school board said there wasn't any
money for classroom computers, we decided to dig for answers." A line like that
demonstrates that the news team is aggressive, and is taking action to get to the
truth. "We are the only station with video of the brawl inside the college cafeteria." A
TV station uses its scripts to combat the perception that all newscasts in a city are
the same. While this isn't pure journalism, this is a basic part of news writing that is
common at most TV stations. Realize that a newscast is also a television program
that not only competes with other newscasts, but also all TV shows that are on the
air in the same time slot. Sell the coverage as something special.
10. Move the Story Forward - A TV news story doesn't have a "the end" at the bottom of
the script. The end of your script should usually tell the audience what will happen
next to the people involved. "The school board will take a vote on whether to cut
teachers' pay at its next meeting," lets the audience knows what developments to
expect next. Leaving that fact out leaves the audience hanging. "We will be at that
meeting and tell you the outcome of the vote," is good to add so that your viewers
will return for updates. That line reinforces that your news team will stay on top of the
story and not just drop it.
11. That's a lot of effort to put into a 30-second script. Even though TV news would seem
to be all about video, crisp news writing will put you above others in your newsroom
and could be the key to building your career faster than you thought possible.
Editing:concept, types, effects, transitions, styles,
Anchoring:studio/outdoor
MODULE III
Making a rundown
A rundown is a timeline / cue-sheet / playbook / kind of libretto for a live or live-ontape TV or radio show (like the daily news, but also a sales show on a shopping
channel).
The rundown is built to make apparent the hierarchy of information and the rhythm of
the newscast. It help visualize the newscast with all its sequences in the right order.
It includes all editorial links given by the anchor or the jingles, segments and visual
tricks.
The rundown is written one to two hours before the broadcast. Its given to all teams
involved in the broadcast. Obviously it can be entirely rewritten if something huge
happens. It switches between on set segments (intros, on set interviews, link ups)
and packages.
An example of rundown (pdf)
For each package, after the title or the name of the shooting team, the last two or
three words in the voice-over are often written so that the broadcasting team can be
ready to go back to the on set anchor quickly after the package is over.

Types of newscasts structures.

The bumpy newscast : short packages followed by longer segments in the

middle then short scripts or packages when the end of the newscast is
nearing.
The hollow newscast : the longer packages are at the beginning and the
end.
The wavy newscast : the packages all last more or less the same.

The all images newscast, edited from the beginning to the end.
Segments are only separated by short jingles. The intro is included in the package,
be careful on proximity effects, sometimes the viewer will ix up two packages.
Usually the most informative package is put at the beginning, the most anecdotic is
put at the end. All variants are possible :

Fake openers at the beginning.

Long segments in the middle or at the end.
Link up to open or end the newscast
Coming next : a trailer in the middle of the newscast.
A reminder of the heads at the end of the newscast.

Two ways to open windows on the world straight from the set :

The link up which allows the anchor to interview from afar journalists, experts
or guests.
The in-situ set which shows both journalistic work and the reality of the field. It
brings additional info at the end of the package or helps cover the news live
and on the field.

Contents of rundown,
A rundown is a timeline / cue-sheet / playbook / kind of libretto for a live or live-ontape TV or radio show (like the daily news, but also a sales show on a shopping
channel).
There are (at least) two versions of rundowns: a general rundown for the show
altogether plus a specific rundown for each single edition that is being created day by
day, depending on the content to be featured.
The general rundown has all the fixed items included, like packaging elements
(station-ID, opener, preview trailer, weather, slots for commercials). Sometimes it
already includes running lengths for single elements that do not change from show to
show (like opener, preview etc.)
The specific rundown is being created on a day to day basis, depending on the kind
of content to be featured for the current edition. Every single item of this day's edition
like a moderation, a preproduced newsclip, a live interview etc. is put on the list, with
exact running lengths attached (down to seconds or even single frames). These
running lengths are either just planned timeslots or already fixed (like when a clip has
been preproduced during the day).

This specific rundown of course has to integrate itself into the general rundown it is
a corset inside a corset.
Everybody involved in the production the technical staff, the director, the anchors
etc. will have access to a copy of it, either directly in print, on screen or via in-ear
monitoring.
Contemporary systems also support auto-cued playback of preproduced elements;
they trigger the play-out system based on the current time.
This also means that it is first and foremost up to the talent of the news anchor to fill
his live-on-air slots so precisely and up to the second with speech that in the end the
whole show comes across like one perfectly flowing piece.
Headlines, breaks, montage, sting, promo
headline or head: A word or short phrase in large type at the top of an article
designed to either summarise the news or grab the readers attention and make
them want to read it. In broadcasting, headlines are short summaries of a few
important stories that will follow in full in the bulletin. Closing headlines come at the
end of a bulletin.
news break: In broadcasting, a scheduled or unplanned interruption in programming
to present a short news bulletin, either previewing an upcoming news program or to
give breaking news of an important event.
Montage is a technique in film editing in which a series of short shots are edited into
a sequence to condense space, time, and information. The term has been used in
various contexts. It was introduced to cinema primarily by Sergei Eisenstein,[1] and
early Soviet directors used it as a synonym for creative editing. In France the word
"montage" simply denotes cutting. The term "montage sequence" has been used
primarily by British and American studios, which refers to the common technique as
outlined in this article.[2]
The montage sequence is usually used to suggest the passage of time, rather than
to create symbolic meaning as it does in Soviet montage theory.
sting: A short piece of music (from 5 to 30 seconds) played in program breaks or to
add drama. Stings are either dramatic music or based on station identification
melodies. A musical form of a stab.
trail or trailer: In broadcasting, a short segment promoting an item coming later in the
program. Also called a promo.
Controlling the half hour bulletin
Impact on viewers