Part 1 of 2-day unit on broadcast news writing with focus on structuring a broadcast story, writing conventions and writing to video.

1. Broadcast
News Writing
JCM 331
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

2. Broadcast News Writing
 General Conventions of Broadcast Writing
 Story Structure
 Writing to Video
 Choosing Good Soundbites

3. The Story Sandwich
The Lead
The Body
The Wrap-up
-Grab viewer’s attention
-Tells What’s NEW
- Tells What’s MOST IMPORTANT
-Tells WHAT’S MOST INTERESTING
-Tells VIEWER IMPACT/BENEFIT
-Gives basic facts
-Provide MOST important
(NOT ALL) details
-Think 5 w’s and H
-DO NOT OVER-STUFF THE
‘Lunch Bag’
-Ties the story together
-Provides “closure” with a little
interesting fact or conveys “next
steps”

4. The Story Sandwich
The Lead
The Body
The Wrap-up
ONE PROMINENT FOOTBALL COACH IS
MAKING A MAJOR FINANCIAL
CONTRIBTION TO HIS PROGRAM.
AUBURN FOOTBALL COACH GUS
MALZAHN ANNOUNCED SATURDAY HE’S
GIVING 2-MILLION DOLLARS TOWARD A
PROPOSED FOOTBALL OPERATIONS
BUILDING.
MALZAHN’S DONATION CAME AS PART
OF A PITCH TO AUBURN’S BOARD OF
TRUSTEES FOR A NEW FOOTBALL-ONLY
COMPLEX.
MALZAHN JOINS ALABAMA’S NICK
SABAN, FLORIDA STATE’S WILLIE TAGGART
AND MIAMI’S MARK RICHT IN GIVING BACK
TO THEIR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS.

5. General Conventions of Broadcast Writing
1. LENGTH– one sentence (noun & verb), one thought (8-12 words)
2. NAMES - FIRST AND LAST NAME on first reference; LAST name ONLY on second references
(NEVER use first name on second reference)
3. NAMES- Do not use unfamiliar names in leads. Focus FIRST on WHAT makes him/her
newsworthy. Then give first and last name later.
Example- A 24-year-old remains in critical condition after a crash on GREEN PARKWAY. Police say Lloyd Winters ran into a tree near
the intersection of Green Parkway & 24th Way.
4. NAMES– Titles and descriptors GO BEFORE names
Wrong: Ron Warner, President and CEO of Green Mortgage…..
Right: Green Mortgage President Ron Warner….
5. AVOID ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
Wrong: Details on the investigation are available from the S-E-C.
Right: Details on the investigation are available from the Student Executive Council.
Wrong: The B-O-V will be meeting at the B-J-C-C next week.
Right: Members of the College’s Board of Visitors will gather next week at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex.
6. AVOID DIRECT QUOTATIONS – instead, just paraphrase what the person is saying
Wrong: ”We have a voice in the Senate and are having some effect,” said U.S. Senator Doug Jones, who spoke to BABJ members Saturday.
Right: SENATOR DOUG JONES SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE HAVING SOME EFFECT IN THE SENATE. JONES SPOKE TO MEMBERS OF THE BIRMINGHAM
ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS SATURDAY.
7. ATTRIBUTION IS IMPORTANT, but use “says” and ALWAYS PUT ATTRIBUTION BEFORE the
ASSERTION

6. WHAT DO YOU
THINK ?

7. WHAT DO YOU
THINK ?

8. WHAT DO YOU
THINK ?

9. Writing to Video
 WHAT YOU’RE DOING
 Matching what you see
(on screen) with what
you say (in the script)
 ADDING more to the
video that is playing
 COMPEL people to keep
watching
 REMEMBER- SWAP
Synchronized
Words
And
Pictures
 HOW YOU’RE DOING IT
1. Examine facts; Get a
general out of the story
2. LOG YOUR FOOTAGE
(watch your video, make
a listing of what you
have)
3. MATCH video to facts
you have
4. Locate distinctive shots
(help DEFINE the story)
5. Write your story
6. After edit video – read it
with video playing to
make sure it matches

10. Broadcast News Writing
 General Conventions of Broadcast Writing
 Story Structure
 Writing to Video
 Choosing Good SoundbitesNEXT:
(Coming
Wednesday)