BROADCAST NEWS T H I R D E D I T I O N Mitchell Stephens New York University HARCOURT BRACE JOVANOVICH COLLEGE PUBLISHERS Fort Worth Philadelphia San Diego New York Orlando Austin San Antonio Toronto Montreal London Sydney Tokyo
Contents Preface v Introduction 1 PART I WRITING Chapter 1 Copy 8 Consistency 8 Computers 9 Margins 11 Headings 11 Pages 13 Readability 14 Numbers 14 Abbreviations 15 Corrections 16 Don't Split Words 18 Don't Split Sentences 18 Emphasis 19 Pauses 20 Spelling 21 Pronunciation 22 Timing 23 Testing 24 Wrap-Up 26 Practice Assignments 26 Chapter 2 Words 28 Common Language 30 Informal 30 A'w/>/<? 31 Journalese 32 Technical Terms 33 ЛУЙГЯ 34 Contractions 37 Engaging Language 37 Personal 38 /W 40 Лсл'ш V«Äf 41 Vif/# Tenses 43 Numbers 46 Idiomatic Expressions 49 Metaphors 50 С/ШР 51 Wrap-Up 55 Practice Assignments 55 Chapter 3 Meanings 57 Precision 57 tfsqgr 58 Dependent Words 60 Saying Says 62 Objectivity 63 Superlatives 63 Opinion 64 Attribution 67 Wrap-Up 72 Practice Assignments 73 Chapter 4 Sentences 75 Clarity 75 Simplicity lb Interjections and Clauses 78 Names and Titles 80 $«<?/«83 Conciseness 87 Pauses 88 The Point 89 Wrap-Up 94 Practice Assignments 94 Chapter 5 Leads 96 Intriguing 97 Newsworthiness 97
Details 107 The Ordinary 109 Punch 111 Preparing 112 Softheads 113 The Set-Up 115 The Angle 116 Types of Leads 118 The Main Point 118 Umbrellas 119 Zte/ду.? 120 Statements 122 Questions 124 Humor 126 Wrap-Up 127 Practice Assignments 127 Chapter 6 Stories 131 Efficiency 131 /*» //* 131 /''о/ти 132 Supporting the Lead 133 Information Selection 135 Making Sense 140 Flow 142 Organization 142 Transitions 147 Snappers 149 /M.V///W 153 Wrap-Üp 156 Practice Assignments 156 PART II REPORTING Chapter 7 Sources 160 The Wires 160 Broadcast Wires 162 Print Wires 166 Bulletins 169 Other Wires 169 Orher Sources 171 Л/////'«AVffi'.f Services 172 MV/W; fef Services 173 Police Radio 173 /Vra Releases 175 Л//Д7О W 1'/>/ ЭД Re/eases 177 7//V 177 Newspapers 178 Research Tools 179 Data Banks 180 &7Л///ЙГ 180 Wrap-Up 181 Practice Assignments 181 Chapter 8 Gathering News 185 Preparation 185 Digging 185 Assignments 186 Background Information 190 Methods 191 On the Phone 191 On the Scene 193 Questioning 194 Preparing a Beat 197 Contacts 198 Ground Rules 199 Wrap-Up 200 Practice Assignments 200 Chapter 9 Tape 202 Types of Tape 202 Actualities 202 Q and As 205 Vb«m 208 W/»/w 214 Techniques 215 Interviewing 215 /Vw/«v-.f 220 Natural Sound 222 Filing 223 Editing 226 GertS 229 Wrap-Up 231 Practice Assignments 231 Chapter 10 Writing to Tape 234 Lead-ins 235 Preparing 235 Something Different 237 Throws 239 Write-Outs 245 Renaming 245
CONTENTS XÜi Concluding 246 Tape Copy 248 Cues 248 More Than One Cart 250 Wrap-Up 251 Practice Assignments 251 Chapter 11 Coverage 255 Tragedies 255 Officials 255 Witnesses 257 Hospitals 258 Crime 259 Police 260 Courts 262 Politics 267 Meetings 267 Speeches 270 News Conferences 271 Campaigns 272 Polls 274 Investigation 276 Protests 277 Economics 279 Features 280 Live 282 Wrap-Up 284 Practice Assignments 284 PART III PRODUCING Chapter 12 Newscasts 288 Ordering 288 News-worthiness 290 Variety 291 Geography 292 Natural Tie-ins 293 Tape 293 Blocks 294 tyo* 296 Kickers 296 7ш/'я 298 Completing 299 Rewrites 299 7W/w 301 Headlines 305 Ws»/rt«r 306 tyom 309 Traffic 311 Financial and Farm 313 TXf Open and Close 314 Wrap-Up 315 Practice Assignments 315 Chapter 13 Public Affairs 318 Documentaries 318 Getting Tape 319 Organization 322 Music 324 1УпЛя 324 Interview Programs 329 Before 330 7/^ Questions 332 During 333 Editorials 334 Wrap-Up 338 PART IV TELEVISION Chapter 14 Visuals 340 Talking Heads 341 Graphics 341 Supers 342 Keys 343 Boxes 344 Computer Art 345 Videotape 346 Amateur Videotape 348 Wrap-Up 348 Chapter 15 Television Reporting 349 Shooting 350 The Crew 350 Basic Procedures 351 Types of Shots 353 Pans and Zooms 353 Shooting Order 354 Composition 355 Telling the Story 357 Sound-Bites 362 Stand-L/ps 365
Xiv CONTENTS Live 369 Satellite News Gathering 371 Editing 372 Wrap-Up 378 Practice Assignments 378 Chapter 16 Writing to Visuals 380 Copy 380 Tell Stories 383 Graphics 383 Videotape 384 Narration 388 Background Graphics 388 Writing Away 389 Spotting 390 Coordinating 391 Keeping Eyes Open 394 Exact Timing 395 Sound 396 Let It Breathe 397 Wrap-Up 401 Practice Assignments 401 Chapter 17 Television Newscasts 404 News Meetings 404 Assignment Editors 405 Producers 406 Newswriters 409 Weather and Sports 412 Directors 414 Technical Staff 416 Anchors 416 On the Air 417 Wrap-Up 418 PARTV THE PROFESSION Chapter 18 Ethics and Law 420 Standards 420 Accuracy 421 Libel 422 The FCC and Fairness 426 Campaigns and Equal Time 428 Behavior 430 Conflict of Interest 430 Privacy 431 Disorder 432 Tank 433 Staging 433 Reenactments 434 Hidden Mikes 434 Protecting Sources 435 Access 436 Courts 436 Police 437 Hospitals 438 Government Records 439 Government Meetings 440 Wrap-Up 440 Chapter 19 Programming 442 Formats 443 Markets 445 Small 446 Medium 447 Large 448 Networks 450 Television 450 Radio 452 Wrap-Up 456 Chapter 20 Careers 457 On the Air 457 Newscasting 458 Audio Production 463 Getting There 466 The Bottom 466 Education 467 Experience 468 Job Searches 468 Mechanics 469 Rigors 472 Wrap-Up 472 Suggested Readings 473 Index 475