1. JOU 2312
REPORTING AND WRITING
FOR TV AND RADIO
PROFESSOR MICHAEL RIZZO
DIRECTOR, JOURNALISM PROGRAM
DIVISION OF MASS COMMUNICATION
COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
APRIL 20, 2020
2. LAST CLASS APRIL 16
DISASTERS
JOU 2312
REPORTING AND WRITING
FOR TV AND RADIO
4. RECAP
PREPARE FOR DISASTERS WELL
AHEAD OF WHEN THEY MAY HIT
HELPFULNESS STORIES SERVE
AUDIENCES AS MUCH AS REPORTING
ON WHAT HAPPENED
FOCUS ON THE HUMAN IMPACT FOR
FIRES
5. WCBS2 NEW YORK NEWSCAST REVIEW
GO TO THE DISCUSSION BOARD FOR OUR
JOU 2312 CLASS AND POST A THREAD
ON THE BEST TEASE YOU SAW/HEARD
FROM THE WCBS2 NEW YORK
NEWSCAST AND WHY AS IT RELATES TO
THE CONCEPTS IN THE HANDOUT YOU
HAD TO READ.
6. MORE REPORTING ON FIRES
GET DETAILS: WHY THE FIRE HAPPENED,
WHAT THE RESPONSE WAS, WHAT WAS
THE RESULT OF THE RESPONSE?
WHO WAS AFFECTED, HURT OR
EVACUATED?
WHERE ARE THE VICTIMS NOW?
HOW ARE THEY BEING TREATED?
7. SHOW AND YOU COMPLEMENT WHAT
THE VIEWER SEES WITH DESCRIPTIONS:
THE BUILDING, THE WAY THE FIRE
WAS FOUGHT, THE OUTCOME
TELL BACKGROUND ON RESIDENTS AND
THE BUILDING
8. BE CONSCIOUS OF THE VISUALS
YOU USE FROM A FIRE
SHOWING DAMAGE TO BUILDINGS IS
FINE BUT SHOWING PERSONS BURNED
OR SERIOUSLY INJURED IS NOT
RESPECT THE VICTIMS AND THE VIEWER
11. FOCUS ON TELLING A STORY
NOT JUST WRITING FACTS
NUMBERS AND STATISTICS CAN
BE IMPORTANT FACTS BUT TOO
MANY BECOME MIND-NUMBING
TO BROADCAST AUDIENCES
14. FIVE ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR A
NEWSCAST PRODUCER
BY DEBORAH WENGER
1.KNOW HOW TO WRITE A STORY
2.KNOW VIDEO EDITING
3.KNOW HOW TO STACK A SHOW
4.HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS
5.APPLY GOOD TIME MANAGEMENT
15. TEASES CONVINCE VIEWERS TO
CONTINUE WATCHING A NEWSCAST.
THEIR AIM? GRAB THE VIEWERS’
ATTENTION
WHAT STORIES DO YOU TEASE?
16. PRODUCERS NEED TO KNOW THEIR
AUDIENCE
DON’T TEASE ALL THE SAME KINDS
OF STORIES
TEASE WITH THE RIGHT VIDEO –
TYPICALLY A SNIPPET OF NOTABLE
VIDEO FROM YOUR STORY – BUT
DON’T GIVE THE STORY AWAY
17. OTHER NOTES ON WRITING TEASES
MAKE SURE YOUR SCRIPT MAKES CLEAR WHY
YOUR VIEWERS SHOULD CARE
WRONG: THE LEGISLATURE MET TODAY TO
TALK ABOUT TAXES. WE'LL HAVE MORE
COMING UP.
BETTER: FIND OUT WHICH LEGISLATORS
WANT TO RAISE YOUR TAXES AND BY HOW
MUCH.
DOCTORS HAVE NEW INFORMATION ABOUT
VITAMIN C AND WHY GETTING TOO MUCH OF IT
CAN BE BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH.
18. AVOID MEANINGLESS WORDS: YOU DON’T
NEED TO SAY THINGS LIKE WE'LL HAVE THE STORY
OR WE'LL HAVE MORE OR DETAILS AHEAD FOR
EVERY STORY. START WITH A BLANKET PHRASE
LIKE COMING UP OR WHEN WE RETURN AND
THEN DO THE TEASES.
DON’T OVER PROMISE AND UNDER DELIVER.
DON’T OVER HYPE LIKE MUST-SEE, INCREDIBLE,
UNBELIEVABLE OR LIFE-CHANGING
MAKE IT INTERESTING BUT DON’T WRITE
CLICKBAIT THAT LEAVE VIEWERS FEELING RIPPED
OFF
19. THIS KABC7 LOS ANGELES NEWSCAST IS IN BLACKBOARD
UNDER THE CONTENT TAB FOR OUR COURSE IN
EXAMPLES OF APPLYING NEWSCAST CONCEPTS IN REAL BROADCASTS
20. THIS GOOD MORNING AMERICA NEWSCAST IS IN BLACKBOARD
UNDER THE CONTENT TAB FOR OUR COURSE IN
EXAMPLES OF APPLYING NEWSCAST CONCEPTS IN REAL BROADCASTS
21. SEE THE ANALYSIS ASSIGNMENT
OF THE WCBS2 NEW YORK AND
CBS NEWS RADIO NEWSCASTS IN
BLACKBOARD
LOOK FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM
ME ON ANY ASSIGNMENT FOR
THURSDAY APRIL 23, 2020
