Many television stations brand one or more of their newscasts with a title rather than the time of day the program is broadcast, but is this a good idea?
The practice of using a title for newscasts is hardly new and can be quite effective if done right.
For example, morning news may be titled “Sunrise” or “Today” and late night news becomes “Nightside” and, of course, the famous “Live at Five.”
One of the key advantages of christening a show with its own name is that it stands out in the crowded market of newscasts ending all with “at 11″ (or whatever the time of day may be). However, if your competitors already brand their shows with a name, you could be adding additional confusion to viewers. In addition, keep in mind some audiences may appreciate a more straightforward approach to newscast branding that gives them the practical information of when a program is on the air.
Once you’ve selected a name, it’s vital to ensure it is used consistently across the board, including in intros, reopens and promos. Also consider using the name for reporter and anchor lower thirds as well as reporter sign-offs. Be cautious about having a show’s old branding sneak into anchor ad-libs or scripts by placing reminders on newsroom workstations and in view of anchors on the set.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when deciding on a newscast title is to make sure the combination of words selected is short and rolls off the tongue easily. A name is never going to catch in off it’s hard to say or, even worse, anchors are stumbling over it all the time. If you’re struggling to work all the words you want into a title that works well, it may be worth using some of them in a slogan or tagline, which can serve as a sort of “subtitle” that still allows for a clean, easy-to-remember name.
NewscastTip is a weekly column with tips for your newscasts. See past editions here. The column is available every Friday in our e-mail newsletter and posted here the following Wednesday. Sign up for the newsletter to get it delivered directly to your in box every week.
Michael P. Hill is founder and publisher of NewscastStudio. Contact him with your own tips and feedback.
