This document defines common terms used in broadcast writing, reporting, producing and newscast operations. It includes terms such as "camel squeezing" which refers to packing a lot of information into few words, "float" which means moving a scheduled story's position, and "kill" which means deleting a story from the show. It also defines technical terms like "CG" which is a character generator used to display text on screen, "still store" for storing graphics, and "master control" which handles playing commercials and maintaining the over-the-air signal.

1. TERMS
JCM 331
Fall 2018
14 more

2. 1. CAMEL SQUEEZING - broadcast writing term for
packing lots of information into few words
REPORTING AND WRITING TERMS

3. 2. FLOAT –moving the scheduled
position of a story in a newscast
(usually because it’s not ready)
3. KILL - DELETE a story from show
4. BUMPING HEADS – shooting
term for soundbite subjects
facing the SAME DIRECTION
(usually you alternate
directions)
PRODUCING TERMS TO KNOW

4. 5. NON-ANTI-CO-SEMI – FOUR WORDS “non” “anti” “co” “Semi” that
ALL MUST have HYPHEN after them in scripting
6. CRASH – AND– BURN – term for live newscast where there are
multiple technical problems (video doesn’t play, sound bad, live
report not ready)
PRODUCING AND WRITING TERMS

5. 7. CG- character generator- machine used to type words
appear on screen
8. SS- still store- machine where “still” graphics stored
9. BLOCK - section of newscast (“A” is first block, “B” 2nd)
10. BREAK - when commercials play
11. SPOTS - the commercials themselves (spots)
12. MASTER CONTROL – area of station where commercials
played and that is responsible for over-the-air signal at all
times
13. INGEST – process of ”taking in” something (usually video)
to a server or electronic storage system (i.e. a computer)
STILL STORE for graphics like this
CG graphics on
On camera shots

6. 14. IFB- Interruptible Foldback –
earpiece that is worn by on-air
talent to broadcast over-the-air
signal and can be INTERRUPTED
by someone (usually director or
producer) speaking;
Note- LIVE REPORTERS in field
are fed the on-air signal MINUS
their own audio or voice (called
”mix-minus”)