Bitter wind chills are sweeping the county while snow piles up higher and higher — and that means it’s time to fire up the closing alerts.

When considering how to graphically present closing information, there are three main factors to consider: text size, display time and on-screen positioning.

Using a clear, easy-to-read typeface is key to creating useful graphics. Also be sure to consider color selection and contrast as well as size.
Each closing should appear on screen for enough time for a viewer to quickly identify the institution in question, determine if it is relevant to him or her and then read the associated information. However, keeping closings on screen for too long can send viewers to another channel if they have to wait too long to see the information they need.

One good way to combat this is to display more than one closing at a time. This can be accomplished by having, say, three lines of text in two columns, with the institution name in the left column and closing status in the right. Or, use two or three columns with the closing information directly under each name.

To further enhance your closings, consider inserting “just in” updates or closings for the area’s largest school districts periodically. Other approaches are to reserve a line or column for these or have one line running schools from A forward and the other from Z backward.

As far as placing your closing information on screen, there are several options.

The most straightforward approach is to simply list closings on a standard ticker. However, the side-to-side movement of tickers is hard for some people to read and the standard single-line format doesn’t lend itself well to closings. A better choice might be the “flipper” style used by CNN.

Alternatively, try compressing the program image and display closings in a lower-third style block below. The issue with this, however, is that if the graphic is too tall, the compressing effect can be a bit jarring. Some stations avoid this by adding narrow pillars to the sides of the image.

The L3 method also gives you the option to display additional weather, road or closing information outside the 4:3 area.

L-bars are another good choice, though if you’re broadcasting in 16:9 they can present some challenges and may require separate feeds, which can be outside the abilities of some graphics systems and master control setups. L-bars do have the advantage of preserving the aspect ratio and also provide branding or sponsorship space on the side.

No matter what approach you take, be sure to test your graphics on a variety of screen types, including older monitors, to ensure info isn’t being cut off. Many viewers watch closings on ktichen or workout room screens that may not be as up-to-date as elsewhere in the house; something that should be kept in mind when determining font size.

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Michael P. Hill is founder and publisher of NewscastStudio. Contact him with your own tips and feedback.