Posts Tagged ‘NewscastTip’

NewscastTip: Discover how to create your own virtual sets

Having a small or outdated set doesn’t necessarily mean you’re limited to those areas: With some simple techniques you can quickly and easily create new “areas.”

While full virtual sets can be expensive and technologically advanced, creating some simple images that can be used in conjunction with your chroma key wall isn’t.

A good base is using digital photographs of the existing set. Not only will your images look more realistic since they’re based on real elements, but there will also be consistency in the virtual vs. the real set areas. Bring these images into an image editing program such as Photoshop for editing. It’s best to use a program that allows for manipulating individual layers.
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NewscastTip: Simple reminders on ways to keep morale up

It’s no secret the economic downturn has taken a toll on the news business, creating scores of layoffs and furloughs that do nothing but lower newsroom morale. However, there are some ways to keep employees motivated.

First, it’s important acknowledge the effects financial troubles can have on newsrooms. Not only are staffers seeing coworkers leave, but they’re being asked to pick up the extra workload. There’s little managers can do to combat these feelings. Try emphasizing how cross-training increases the value of everyone involved and that staff reductions, while painful, are necessary to ensure the well-being of the entire company.
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NewscastTip: Going live isn’t always the best story option

Live shots are the bread and butter of television news reports, but they aren’t always the best way to tell a story.

Often television news falls for the “live for live’s sake” trap that’s a perfect example of the “just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should” adage.

Before considering a live shot, ask whether having a reporter live on the scene will add anything to a story. Live shots are great for on-scene breaking news reports where a reporter’s presence on the site is vital to telling the story. However, many stories can be presented without an on-the-scene live shot, freeing up a live truck for another story or allowing a reporter to return to the station’s better-equipped facilities to write, edit and assemble a more effective package.

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NewscastTip: Build your station’s OTS library

Most stations have a library of OTS graphics to make it easier and faster to meet common graphics needs without requiring original art be created. Use this list to review your inventory and fill in the blanks of any you might be missing.

• Breaking News
• “New at” graphics (one for each newscast)
• Generic images for fires, arrests, murders, politics, crime and education
• Generic weather themed graphics as appropriate for your region (flooding, snow, thunderstorm, rain, hurricane, tornado)
• Generic high school sports image
• Images with logos of local colleges, schools, sports teams and large companies
• Headshot OTSs of local politicians and other notable figures
• OTSs for each county, region or neighborhood you cover
• Road work and traffic images
• OTS graphics for any regular segments or franchises
• Holiday images and images for recurring local cultural events and festivals

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NewscastTip: Say hello to tips on ‘goodbyes’

A long tradition of TV news live shots is for the anchor and reporter to have a brief “goodbye” exchange at the end of the report.

These “thank yous” boosts the image of a team and gives your newscast a friendly feel.

However, the exchange can also eat up valuable time without adding any substantial content to the newscast, a key factor to consider if you want a faster pace.
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NewscastTip: News sites suffer from clutter

The Internet has changed the way television delivers the news, but it’s also led to some very cluttered and disorganized station Web sites.

Most television Web sites feature a jumble of video players, weather information and, the biggest clutter culprit, blocks of headlines and information links.

So, is there a way to solve this dilemma? Unfortunately, with the competing demands of the newsroom, advertising department and the wealth of information stations need to offer it’s not an easy task. The use of white label content management systems can limit the amount of customization, though many of the techniques in this column can still be used to at least some extent.
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NewscastTip: Choices for framing talent have pros, cons

How you frame in-studio talent plays a big role in the overall feeling and tone of your newscast.

Tight framing can create a more intimate viewing experience because facial expressions and body language are more prominent. It also makes your talents’ eyes being more visible, which can increase the connection views feel with talent since many people use eyes as a judge of character, emotion and friendliness.

One downside to tighter viewing to consider is that as viewers’ screens continue to grow larger, seeing a screen dominated by a larger-than-life head can be a bit overwhelming.
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NewscastTip: Appealing to young viewers a challenge

In its article covering the launch of WNBC-TV’s “New York Nonstop,” the New York Daily News pointed out the channel sometimes comes of as being “too cool” — which is a valuable lesson for any TV news program trying to appeal to the younger demo.

There’s a common belief in the media industry as a whole that if something looks too serious, it won’t appeal to younger audiences. While that argument certainly has its merits, it’s not necessarily all-encompassing.

The problem with trying to make a program (or anything else for that matter) look cool and hip is that it, more often then not, comes across looking contrived. Young viewers don’t want to see programs that look like they might be produced by their parents; think about how teenagers are so easily embarrassed by mom and dad.
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NewscastTip: It’s time for some spring cleaning at the anchor desk

Stations spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on sets that look like pristine, sleek areas without a spec of clutter - until you go behind the anchor desk. So how can you clean things up behind the anchor desk?

A messy anchor desk not only adds unnecessary clutter but can also make it difficult for talent to present the news since it can be harder to sit correctly and pivot the body for camera turns.

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NewscastTip: Web services add depth, features

Your station’s Web site can go beyond just a place to stash links mentioned on air and rehashed stories from on air and there are a lot of great tools that make it easier to feed good content to the Web.

When considering online storytelling, remember the strengths that the Web has over television — such as interactivity and access to large quantities of information and data.

Google Maps offers Web site owners the ability to embed interactive maps into Web pages. Consider adding locator maps to stories where appropriate. This is especially helpful for stories involving construction or other traffic snarls so viewers can see how their driving might be affected. Google Maps can also be used to pinpoint locations of new building projects. To make implementing Google Maps into your page easier, check out Google’s wizard. (more…)

NewscastTip: Graphics can give affordable boost to your newscasts

In today’s tough times there’s very little money to go around in a typical TV newsroom, but that doesn’t mean newscasts don’t need sprucing up. If a new set is beyond your reach, consider the impact a new graphics package can have.

Combining an old set with new graphics can breathe life into your newscasts. While sets certainly have their value and are obviously much more of a concrete item, it’s amazing what an improvement new graphics can make.

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NewscastTip: Change your duras for an easy new look

As budgets shrink due to the weak economy, getting a new set is, unfortunately, likely to become a much more rare occurrence. But there is one simple way to give your set a new look: changing out the duratrans.

Since many sets have wide expanses of duratrans, it’s often these, not the hard scenery, that make the most impact.

Duratrans backgrounds can be designed in house or, for optimal results if budget allows, hire a graphic designer experienced in creating such imagery.

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