The "reaction" story is a staple of television news coverage of major events. There's a reason we do these kinds of stories: to show the community how it's coping; to share opinions and inform our viewers.

• Find a listening place. Brainstorm a list of places where you could gather opinions that will also provide a visual narrative thread to hold your story together. Examples might include sampling views on a bus as it drives its route, at a laudromat, at the checkout counter of a supermarket, or anywhere else a diverse group might gather. NBC's John Larson (then at KOMO-TV in Seattle) did a brilliant piece during the Gulf War, sampling opinions during an elevator ride in an office building.
  
  
• Think of specific groups you'll want to hear from. Don't feel obliged to make every reaction piece reflect a "cross-section" of the community. Specific groups will have particularly relevant views, depending on the issue. If you're following reaction to a possible war against Iraq, for example, consider: retired military, Muslims in your community, immigrants, schoolchildren, peace activists from previous conflicts, volunteers (USO, Red Cross, Salvation Army). Figure out who and where they are now, and make preliminary contact.
  
  
• Consider a town hall. Many groups, from neighborhood organizations to houses of worship, hold meetings to discuss their reaction to major national and international events. These groups are likely to hold similar discussions in case of a military campaign. Connect with them now, to make the case for covering a future gathering. Your station may also want to hold and televise its own "town hall" to let viewers express their opinions, concerns and values.
  
  
• Include relevant detail. One of the biggest problems with the average M.O.S. story is that viewers have no idea why people feel the way they do. Give viewers context by telling them at least one important fact about each speaker: lost a son in the Gulf War; burned the flag to protest US involvement in Vietnam; fought in Korea; now studying for the priesthood--you get the idea.
  
  
• Be open to ambivalence. People usually take several days to form firm opinions about major events. During that time, they gather intelligence, weigh options and discuss the issues. This is a hard process to capture on television, often because its chief characteristic is ambivalence. Don't be afraid of this kind of story, however, because it is a more authentic reflection of where many people really are: angry, afraid, conflicted--all at the same time.
  
  
• Let people talk. Resist the urge to cut every person's comment down to 10 seconds or less. You might want to let the same person get more than one chance to speak in your story. Or you could try your own version of the NBC franchise "In His/Her Own Words."
  
  
• Listen in. Reaction stories can be told as nat-sound pieces, with no reporter track. Try the "news as conversation" approach to capture how people really feel when they're discussing the situation with friends.