Broadcast Writing

Writing that is Meant to be Heard

Fact Vs. Opinion

OWhat is the different

between a fact and an

opinion?
OHow can you ensure that a
news story is accurate, fair
and unbiased and NOT filled
with opinions?

FAITH
O FAITH is an acronym that Al Tompkins

uses in his TV Reporters textbook

Aim for the Heart
Is the story:
O Fair
O Accurate
O Interesting
O Thorough
O Human

Style
O Correct Spelling
O Capitalization use upper and lower

case
O Some wire services use all caps
O CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTED

AGAINST THE NEW PARKING

ORDINANCE.
O City council members voted against
the new parking ordinance

Style
O Punctuation gives clues about

meaning, emphasis, interpretation

O Ellipses signal a pause
O Hyphens
O A-B-A
O Two-to-one vote
O Re-elect

O Pronouncers use the phonetic

spelling
O Iberville (EYE-bur-ville)
O Read copy out loud

Style: Numbers
O Eliminate and clarify as many

numbers as possible without

distorting or omitting facts
O Round off: $12.34 = Just over 12dollars
O Use generic time references.
7-PM=Evening/tonight
O Auto prices increased by two
percent = It will cost you about
400-dollars more to buy a new car
today than it did last month.

Style: Numbers
O One through eleven=Words
O 12 99 = Numerals
O If begin with numbers, use words no matter what
O Combo of words and numbers 999 and higher, and

use hyphens
O 7-million
O 75-thousand

O Round off: $12.34 = Just over 12 dollars

O Use words for symbols associated with numbers
O 20-million dollars
O Nine point two
O 20-dollars (hyphen clarifies connection)

Numbers Example
Last month, a Salvador Dali sketch found at a
Goodwill shop in Washington, sold for 21thousand. Last summer, a North Carolina
woman pocketed more than 27-thousand for a
painting.
Sports scores keep the numbers

Tricia Thornton finished second overall with a six

game total of 12-69.
The Cubs won 8 to 3.

Style
O Attribute before a sound bite and at

the start of a sentence

O When do I attribute?
O Uncertainty about the source
O An opinion
O Potential inflammatory statements
O Controversy
O Facts that may be questioned

Style
O Names
O Use last name after first introduction
O John Miller is running for mayor. Miller

hopes to end the budget crisis.

O Put titles first
O Principal Dr. Lee says Vs. Dr. Lee,

principal, says

Words and Sentences

O Be clear
O Use contractions: Do not = Dont
O Simple not simplistic
O Board of Education = School Board
O Laceration = Cut
O Make changes in = Adjust

O Active voice, present or future tense

O The life of Paul Brewster was spared by the

judge.
O The judge will spare Paul Brewsters life.

Story Building
O No perfect way to tell your story!

Its up to you
O Straight News
O Single Element News Story
O Two-Element story
O Three-Element story
O Chronological
O Inverted Pyramid

Anchor Intro
O Anchor introduces story, then package begins
O Anchor is NOT the reporter in the story
O Give a brief introduction Like an attention getter in an

essay
O Be dramatic
O Tease viewers
O Dont start with a history
O End with promise of specific information to be revealed in the

package
O You have seconds to impress your viewers, so grab their

attention!

Anchor Intro
O Weak: The mayors office finished up its financial

assessment today.
Stronger: The mayor says the city is broke.
O Weak: Frank Johnson has been the chief resident at City

Hospital for five years.

Stronger: City Hospital refuses to give any more flu
shots.
O Weak: Joe Smith is here with more.

Stronger: Joe Smith tells us why the mayor wont give

an inch on school funding.

Anchor Outro
O Anchor closes story with next steps or

final thought
O Reporter signs off in package
O For XX News, Im XX
O Anchor can still speak after

Leads
O Beginning of news story not anchor intro
O Captures readers attention
O Prepares readers for a story
O Key idea + strong action verb + when + other 5 Ws

Examples:
O It was a massive display of natures power when the storms
swept through the southernmost counties of Illinois.
O Police in Southern California are following the scent of a
bank robber...they say his M-O is B-O.
O Michael Jordan is retiring for a second time tonight after 15
seasons.
O You try:
O Think of a lead for Homecoming
O Think of a lead for the tardy policy
O Think of a lead for the dress code

Structure
O Beginning: Attention getter
O Good sound bite
O Natural sound
O Interesting/exciting video

O Middle: Give story details

O End: Resolution or next steps

Story Structure
O Talk through the story
O Be brief emphasize whats

important
O Beginning, middle and end
O Chronological
O Topical
O Opposing Viewpoints

Writing Sound Bites

O Reporter should not copy what the

source says
O Introduce quote
O Dean Jackson says the new tardy policy is

working
O Students dont agree with the parking
situation
O Include B-roll of person in your story
O Get him/her in action!

Writing
O Do not include reporter questions in sound

bites
O Make a statement, dont ask questions
O Describe, dont tell
O BLAH: We will be covering the new school rules.
O BETTER: The new cell phone policy is in effect,

but some are not happy.

O BLAH: We asked Dr. Lee a few questions.
O BETTER: Dr. Lee thinks the schedule changes

have been positive for student achievement.

Voice Over
O Same person should voice over

entire news package

O Stand-up should be same person
who voiced over

Steps to
Rewriting Print Stories

1. Find most important info

1. Beginning
2. Middle
3. End

2. Cover the 5Ws: Who, What, Where,

When, Why
3. Underline or circle it
4. Put the information in your own words
5. Write your story

Issues Affecting Writing

O Newsworthiness
O Bias
O Reporter must be objective
O Get both sides of your issue/story

O Accuracy
O Nothing staged, quotations are used in

context
O Offensive Content
O First Amendment

What is Newsworthy?
O Consider your audience: OEHS
O News is timely and current
O News is relevant information that helps us

understand what is happening in the world around us

O News helps us in making decisions about our health,
our finances, and to play our part in democracy at
the local, state and national level
O News is not staged your video is not selling or
convincing anyone; just informative
O Action should be natural and not using actors

O 5 News Values: Timeliness, proximity,

controversy/conflict, human interest, relevance

News Story Ideas

Events
Use your planner to
find events!

Issues

Character Counts
Standardized Tests
College search
Service Hours

Human Interest

Coach
Teacher
Administrator
Classroom Aide
Clubs and Activities
Students who
excel/are unique

Focus Statement
A succinct statement that summarizes what will be
learned about the video.
Consists of a noun and a verb.

Examples:
- Soccer Loses Stars
- New Schedule Working
- Mountain Biking Begins

Types of Stories
OReader
OVO
OVOSOT
OPKG

Taping and Editing

O News stories are not staged (No acting)
O News stories do not have intentional

zooms and pans

O News stories use natural sound to tell a
story, not canned music
O Reporter questions are typically not
included in the script; the viewer does not
hear the questions
O Visual transitions like a fade are typically
not used

No Staging in News
O ABC News staged crime scene shot

Using B-roll
O Limit distractions no shaky or

blurry shots
O Use natural sound, but turn sound
down
O Video should match writing
O Use interesting angles and
sequences
O WMT
O Fast paced, but natural

Reader
OAnchor reads story into

camera no video or sound

over the anchor
O20 25 seconds each story

VO (Voice Over)
OAnchor reads story and

camera cuts to video

over anchor while they
continue reading
O30 seconds

VOSOT
(Voice Over Sound on Tape)
OAnchor reads story and camera

cuts to video. At the end, there is

a sound bite from a subject.
O30 - 45 seconds
OSound bite 9 13 seconds
OExample
OExample
OExample

PKG (Package)
ONews story that is already edited

together with voice-over, video, and

interviews
O60 90 seconds, sometimes longer
OVO tells the story
O2 3 sound bites add information
OExample
OExample
OExample

Sound Bite
OBrief statement or comment
OAdds information to story
OFactual and credible information
OBest answers come from

reporter asking Do you have

anything to add? during
interview

Stand Up
OStand up: Reporter in a package presenting

information in front of the camera

ORule of thirds does not apply
OPerson who voices over should do stand-up
OShould be followed by a sound bite or nat
sound NOT by a voice over
OShould follow with story and move story
along
OExample

Bell Writing
- Numbers
- Introducing a source
- Lead to a story (use example at
-

school)
Introducing a sound bite
Using first vs. third person
Including reporter questions
Active voice, present or future tense
Use contractions

Writing Practice
O Make broadcast style
O Brian Broadcaster, president, wanted

his boss to pay him money since he

cannot pay his rent.

Writing Practice
O Make broadcast style
O The board of education approved

legislation at 5pm to receive a

donation of approximately 2.7 million
for new construction.

Answer
O Tonight the school board approved a

two point seven million donation for

new construction.

Answer
O President Brian Broadcaster wants

his boss to pay him since he cant

pay his rent.

Writing Practice
O Make broadcast style
O The Cubs won 7-4 in the game last

night against the Cardinals.

O The boy was in a quandary for

stealing $5,000 from the grocery

store.

Answer
O The Cubs beat the Cardinals 7 to 4

last night.
O The boy got in trouble for stealing

5-thousand dollars from the grocery

store.

Writing Practice
O Make broadcast style
O Members of the NRA were holding a

rally about gun control.

O Dr. Shelly, a doctor at Delnor

hospital, was telling his patients he

did not mean to give them an
overdose of medicine.

Answer
O Members of the N-R-A held a gun

control rally.
O Delnor Hospitals Doctor Shelley tells

patients he gave an accidental

overdose.