This document outlines the basic story forms used in TV news: readers, voice-overs, voice-over to sound on tape, reporter packages, and donuts. It provides guidelines for writing each form, including appropriate length, script formatting, and emphasizing writing to match any accompanying video.

1. TV NEWS STORY FORMS
THE BASIC INGREDIENTS OF A NEWSCAST

2. FIVE BASIC STORY FORMS
 Readers (RDR)
 Voice-overs (VO)
 Voice-over to sound on tape (VO/SOT or VO/SOTVO)
 Reporter packages (PKG)
 Donuts

3. READERS
 If a story involves no video or other visual over the face of the anchor,
then it’s called a reader.
 Sometimes, the viewers can see the anchor’s face for the duration of a
story and also see a graphic over the shoulder (OTS). That story would
still qualify as a reader because the viewers see the anchor for the entire
story.
 Readers are usually 15-20 seconds. Scripts should be single spaced. Each
sentence should be on its own line.

4. VOICE OVERS -VOS
 A voice-over is any story that’s read by the anchor and also incorporates
video, a full-screen graphic, or some other visual. The term “voice-over”
simply indicates that the anchor’s voice is heard “over” some visual. Usually
20-seconds. Scripts should be single spaced. Each sentence should be on its
own line.

5. {ANCHOR NAME}
THE LEAD LINE GOES HERE IN CAPITAL LETTERS WITH
IMPACT, EMOTION, AND NEW/NOW/NEXT.
{TAKE VO}
WRITE TO YOUR VIDEO STARTING HERE.
DON’T FORGET CONTEXT.
EACH SENTENCE MUST BE ON ITS OWN LINE IN CAPITAL
LETTERS.
KEEP YOUR SENTENCES SHORT AND CONCISE.
EACH SENTENCE SHOULD HAVE AN INTERESTING NUGGET
OF INFO.
WRITE FOR THE EAR.
SCRIPT SHOULD BE TWENTY SECONDS LONG.

6. VO/SOT OR VO/SOTVO
 This is usually 40-45 seconds. The video is followed by sound.
More commonly the SOT will be followed by continued VO. Scripts
should be single spaced. Each sentence should be on its own line.

7. A VOSOT is usually written as a VOSOTVO, with continued VO after the SOT. A traditional format you
are free to follow looks like this:
{ANCHOR NAME}
THE LEAD LINE GOES HERE IN CAPITAL LETTERS.
LEAD WITH IMPACT, EMOTION, AND NEW/NOW/NEXT.
{TAKE VO}
THE BODY OF YOUR SCRIPT GOES HERE, USUALLY THREE TO FIVE SENTENCES.
KEEP YOUR SENTENCES CONCISE AND WRITE FOR THE EAR.
EACH SENTENCE MUST BE ON ITS OWN LINE IN CAPITAL LETTERS.
{TAKE SOT}
{EDITOR NOTE: include the slug of the raw video file}
<time codes from raw video in minutes and seconds like this: 00:00. First and last name, title of person
interviewed “write word for word the sound from the interview here in lowercase letters.”>
TRT: write the SOT total run time in minutes and seconds here.
{CONT VO}
{ANCHOR NAME}
WRITE YOUR ENDING HERE TO WRAP UP THE STORY AND/OR PUSH AHEAD.

8. PACKAGE (PKG)
 A PKG is usually 1:30.
 It traditionally includes several sound bites and nat pops plus a reporter
track.
 The reporter usually also does either a bridge stand-up in the middle of
the pkg or a stand-up close at the end of the pkg
 Sometimes you will make a looklive PKG where the reporter looks live.
That means there will be standups at the beginning and the end of the
pkg.
 A shorter version of a PKG can be around 50-seconds. That’s called a
whip. You can also air a “tracked VOSOT” which is very similar but
usually much more simple and around 45-seconds.

9. DONUT
 This is the anchor lead (also called a toss) to the reporter pkg.
When you see the word “donut” on CNN Newssource for example,
you can expect there to be a script in for your anchor toss and tag,
plus the pkg script.

10. WRITE TO YOUR VIDEO
 Your goal should always be to write to your video. This ties your
words together with your visuals.
 Your script should match the b-roll in your final product.
 You should write to your video in all story forms from VO’s to PKGs.

11. WRITING TO VIDEO
 For example, if you have video of a plane crashing into the ground, it catching
on fire, and the pilot getting out, then write something like:
YOU CAN SEE THE MOMENTS THE PLANE CRASHED INTO THE GROUND.
FLAMES BURST INTO THE AIR.
SECONDS LATER THE PILOT CRAWLED OUT OF THE WRECKAGE.
RESCUE CREWS TELL US HE DIDN’T HAVE A SCRATCH ON HIM.

12. WRITING TO VIDEO
 Instead of:
AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY TO FIND OUT WHAT CAUSED A
PLANE’S ENGINE TO FAIL.
THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY PERSON ON BOARD.
HE WAS UNINJURED.

13. WRITING TO VIDEO
 Weather stories are also great opportunities to write to video. If
your video shows homes submerged in dirty flood waters, and TVs
floating down what used to be the street, then write that. Instead
of just writing that record rains caused widespread flooding.
 Writing to video increases the chance that your audience pays
attention.