When to break exclusive news and where

When to break exclusive news and where

You’re working on an exclusive story for tonight and the Web and social media team wants a piece of it, hours before air. Should you share? If you thought that question had been laid to rest years ago, think again. In some newsrooms, the answer still is, “It depends.” Brandon Mercer, news director at KTXL [...]

Network newscasts more different than ever

Network newscasts more different than ever

For years, critics have complained that the nightly national TV newscasts are all basically the same, leading with the same stories, covering the same developments, often in exactly the same order. And the networks have been criticized for ignoring international news unless the U.S. was directly involved. There used to be some truth to all [...]

Dictionary required?

Dictionary required?

ABC’s This Week featured an unusual graphic during one of the program’s round-table discussions last Sunday. When host Christiane Amanpour described Ben Franklin as “perspicacious,” up popped the definition, pronunciation guide helpfully included. Entertainment Tonight writer Ken Tucker found that insulting and appalling. “It’s also a depressing, dismaying precedent to set,” he wrote, for the network [...]

Does commentary belong in local newscasts?

Does commentary belong in local newscasts?

Wearing dark sunglasses and a baseball cap, Bubba the Love Sponge brings it on. “Oil prices are a scam,” he roars. “A select few people are getting ultra-rich on the backs of the American family!” It’s classic Bubba, the same shock jock shtick he’s been doing for years on the radio. What’s different now is [...]

New multimedia journalism textbook

New multimedia journalism textbook

Forgive me for tooting my own horn, but I’m pleased to announce the publication of the second edition of my book, Advancing the Story: Broadcast Journalism in a Multimedia World, co-authored with Deb Wenger. It’s available now from CQ Press or Amazon, and we hope you’ll check it out. What’s different this time around? The new [...]

Bring paper to life

Bring paper to life

A story based on paper documents or computer records can pose a challenge for television journalists. There’s nothing visual for them to work with so the first resort is often to call for graphics. No matter how attractive your base art is, using full-screen bullet points can bring a story to a halt. And that’s not the only problem with text-heavy graphics.

Local long-form revival

Local long-form revival

Stories on local TV news just seem to keep getting shorter. From all indications, the average big market package runs about 1:15 these days. So it’s unusual, to say the least, for a station to not only buck the trend but to create a new program to showcase longer stories.But that’s exactly what’s happened at [...]

Staying relevant

Staying relevant

by Gregg Palermo The message was clear: In this age of technological change and 24-hour news cycles, journalists have a relevant role to play in our society. We’ve heard that message a lot lately, especially in the face of tough economic times that have impacted every newsroom in the country in some shape or form.  [...]

How to be a positive TV news producer

How to be a positive TV news producer

By Holly Edgell, Executive Producer, KOMU-TV and Assistant Professor, The Missouri School of Journalism While producers don’t have the official title of manager, they must develop leadership strategies to manage resources and empower their peers to do their best work. I have found that the best way to develop a great working environment — and [...]

Network newscasts aren't all that retro

Network newscasts aren’t all that retro

Have you watched a network evening news program lately? Americans who would answer “no” to that question far outnumber those who’d say “yes.” According to conventional wisdom, the nightly national newscasts are either boring and predictable or soft and sensational. But have you actually watched a network evening news program lately? In his new book, [...]