Broadcast to Internet: Repurposing Content

Principles of Convergent Journalism

Wilkinson, Grant, and Fisher (PG 75-90)

What is Repurposing a Story?

Repurposing: taking a news story and tailoring it to a different medium. Click here for the dictionary definition.

News organizations repurpose stories created on air for the web. News operations must have a prominent web presence to stay above the competition. People want news on demand, anytime throughout the day. News organizations must be organized and deliver news content in every medium.

Web Stories

Combines print and electronic media. Stories on the web can be short or long. Posting stories on the internet is inexpensive. Unlike television, footage on the web can be shown all day and all night.

Many TV stations contract web organizations to build out their websites.  News sites are designed to constantly replenish postings on the web. Now web outlets are used for the main source of news, not just to promote a news organization brand.

User Friendly Websites

Users want clutter free and easy to read sites. Websites enable viewers to be interactive. People can voice their own opinions through chat rooms, blog comments, polls, etc. For news organization to effectively brand their identity, web material must match the content to stories produced on-air. Check out CNN’s user-friendly website.

Web Shells and Presentation

Web shells are space on the web dedicated to report on a specific topic. Presentation of stories on the web must include interactivity, short/ tight sentences, photos, polls, comment boxes etc.

Using Video

Digitizing online content for the web is common when using interviews, podcasts, and video. Technology has allowed video to be portable. Reporters can film their own audio and video and upload it to the web in seconds. Final Cut Pro, Premiere, and Avid are all editing programs that news organization utilize to snip and edit footage quickly and efficiently for web usage.

24/7 News

With news happening every second of the day, audiences want access immediately. The web is a great tool to have instant information and breaking news. Web content is so common that many reporters now give their web versions of their stories to news directors when turning in their broadcast version.

Basics In Broadcasting

Principles of Convergent Journalism

Wilkinson, Grant, and Fisher

Back to the Basics

Essential qualities all journalists must possess whether they are working for a newspaper, radio, television or an online news site: accuracy, attention to detail, compelling information, solid attribution, proper grammar, word usage, spelling and punctuation.

How TV is Different

Television stresses the visual. Images on-screen dominate over reporters and voiceovers. TV is often “live” in the moment, covering the latest breaking news. TV is simple storytelling. Presentation cannot confuse the viewer.

TV Staff

Television staffs are large and task-specific, unlike radio staffs. Broadcast news relies on a team of people to support each other. Positions include: News Director, Producer, Assignment Editor, Anchor, Reporter, Photographer, Video Editor, Graphic Artist, Studio Production Staff, Librarian/Archivist, and Field Producer.

TV Relies on Visuals

Print allows readers to scan and pause whereas TV is quick, engaging, and can be dramatic. TV depends on graphical elements to bring a story together. Maps, charts, animations, music, ect. all bring a story together. To create a visual story package a team must have: topic, interviews (close-ups & B-Roll), solid script with sound bites, voice tracks, and effectively export the footage either to the web or DVD.

Time

TV stories are normally short and basic. Stories that do not show any visuals usually range about 20 seconds on tape. Voice-Over (VO) and Sound on Tape (SOT) are staples to TV news. This is the voice of the reporter or anchor on the tape while visual pictures are appearing on-screen. TV packages are the actual recorded story. Reporters normally appear once or twice during the story, introducing the topic and closing at the end. Video essays and montages are also common in TV. A reporter may choose to tell a story through photos with voice-over commentary.

Reporter/Talent/Personality/Celebrity

TV is far different from print where the reader does not see the writer of the story. An anchor or reporter on TV is seen by mass audiences and populations. Persons who work in the TV industry and are on film must go through voice training, show an appealing/clean appearance, and be likable to large audiences. An anchor may have to go through voice training to sound authoritative, friendly and sincere. A strong speaker should be able to use inflection and pause in certain areas when presenting on camera. Viewers demand specific qualities like wardrobe, facial hair, jewelry, etc.

Final Note

TV packages must be easy to understand visually and audibly no jargon, slang, or choppy visuals.