Television News Forms

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Television News Forms

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TV News Stories

• Five basic TV news stories forms
• Readers
• Voice-Overs (VOs)
• Voice-Overs to Sound on Tape (VO-SOTs)
• Packages
• Donuts

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Readers

• Readers are tell stories
• Contain no video
• Read by the anchor
• Anchor is on-camera
• Used when
• No associated video
• Breaking news
• As filler in newscast

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Readers

• If see a graphic over the shoulder still
  qualifies as a reader.
• Little production value
• Often very short
• May promise video at a later date

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VO

• Read by the anchor
• Also incorporates other production elements
• live-video
• Full-screen graphic
• Some other video

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VO

• Role in newscast
• Help producer vary the pace of the show
• Deliver interesting information in short form
• When event is visual, but a lvie quote wont add
  much
• If late-breaking news with some compelling video,
  but no time for longer package.

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Mechanics of a VO

• Source of video for VO
• Notes compiled by a reporter
• News releases
• Wire services
• Video feed services

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Mechanics of a VO

• Based on facts gathered include
• Who?
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• Why? (if known)
• How? (if known)

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Mechanics of a VO

• In TV, write from the video
• What is on the video will drive what is in script
• Not play-by-play here we see the prime
  minister leaving his office on 10 Downing Street

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Mechanics of a VO

• Rather be sure connection between video and
  words.
• They should match thematically
• If we refer to a person we should see him/her
• Avoid the not seen here syndrome
• Never describe what we are seeing tell us why
  what we see is important or relevant

11
Mechanics of a VO

• SWAP scale synchronized words and pictures
• Make sure video doesnt conflict with words
• If two visuals alluded to in script we should
  see these in the video.

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Mechanics of a VO

• Dont use video as wallpaper
• Dont use crowd shots as video wallpaper for
  generic illustration of specific problems
• Obesity
• Sexually-transmitted disease
• Mental illness
• Heart disease
• Dont use video from another event as generic
  examples of topical issue.

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Mechanics of a VO

• What if no appropriate video
• Full-Screen Graphic (FSG)
• Bullet Points
• Quotes
• Court testimony
• Someone unwilling to be on-camera
• Quotes from a document from investigation
• Text to support hard-to-follow audio, like a 911
  tape

14
Mechanics of a VO

• What if no appropriate video
• Charts and Graphs
• Locator graphics
• Such as maps
• Especially if small, unknown town
• Explanatory graphics
• Branding

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VO-SOT

• Begins as a VO
• Includes an additional element sound on tape
  portion
• Sound Bite
• Brief snippet of on-camera interview
• Follows voice-over video

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VO-SOT

• Includes two or more voices
• Anchor
• Interviewee or source

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VO-SOT

• Role
• Allows producer to vary pace of news program
• Longer airtime for a story than with reader or VO
• Used when a participant or observer can add to
  the story
• More emotional than VO
• More personal than VO

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VO-SOT

• Scripting a VO-SOT
• Begins as a VO
• Rules pertaining to VO apply here
• Added element
• Super over bite to identify speaker
• Also should identify in audio portion of script

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VO-SOT

• Setting up the bite
• Give viewers a sense of what the speaker is going
  to say
• Dont parrot the quote
• Dont use a generic mayor John Smith had this to
  say

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VO-SOT

• Sound Bites
• 8 12 seconds
• Minimum 5 6 seconds
• Must be truly compelling to exceed 15 seconds.
• May paraphrase information from source before or
  after the bite.

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The Package

• Pre-recorded by a recorder in the field
• Interviews and video in the field
• Returns to studio
• Logs
• Edits
• Provides outcue
• May add other production elements

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The Package

• Diamond Style
• Top of story
• Catch viewers attention right away
• personalize story
• Middle (longer)
• Numbers
• Stats
• Comments from expert
• End
• Bring it back to the personal
• Tie it to the intro

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The Package

• Reporter stand up
• Reporter on-camera in the field delivering a line
  or two
• 8-12 seconds
• Scripted, but not always on paper
• Can be anywhere in the package in middle called
  a bridge
• Face time
• Identify with reporter
• Brand image

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Donut

• Local news
• Reporter live-on-scene
• Update on a breaking story that just occurred
• Reporter will introduce a pre-taped package from
  the field.
• Anchor pitches to reporter
• Reporter introduces package
• Returns to reporter to wrap up
• Reporter pitches to anchor