Broadcast News Writing, Reporting, and Producing, 5th Edition

Broadcast News Writing, Reporting, and Producing, 5th Edition

by Frank Barnas, Frank Barnas, Ted White
Released October 2013
Publisher(s): Focal Press
ISBN: 9781136025136

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Book description

Jargon buster: convergent journalism:
?Media convergence is the most significant development in the news industry in the last century. The ability to interchange text, audio, and visual communication over the Internet has fundamentally transformed the way news organizations operate. Convergence has enabled media companies to gather, disseminate, and share information over a variety of platforms. Throughout the history of journalism, it has been common for journalists to study one medium, such as traditional print or broadcast, and to anticipate a career working only in their chosen field. However, the 21st century journalist has fluidity to write and deliver news content in a variety of formats. (source: http://www.convergencejournalism.com/)


Broadcast News Writing, Reporting, and Producing presents a solid foundation for any student learning how to become a broadcast journalist ? in today's world of convergent journalism, it is more important than ever that broadcast textbooks cover the most current trends in media. Convergent journalism (the coverage of news across multiple delivery platforms such as the internet, television, podcasts, ipods, blogs, etc) is here to stay ? broadcast journalism continues to morph as newer and more advanced content platforms are hatched and developed, and broadcast journalists must understand how to write, report, and produce for multiple platforms simultaneously. Just one crucial fact remains: students will need training on how to perform successfully in a world in which current events aren't just shown on the ten o'clock evening news.

Broadcast News Writing, Reporting, and Producing will be completely overhauled to reflect the trends of convergent journalism on every page. New co-author Frank Barnas brings a multi-faceted perspective of writing, reporting, and producing that allows for multi-platform delivery systems, and shows students with real-world examples the functions and practices of today's media. The new edition will be rewritten and restructured to accommodate common 16-week course modules, and will be divided into four major sections of the news: gathering, writing, reporting, and producing. Sidebars featuring how examples used in the text relate to convergence in journalism help students to draw connections easily between current stories and trends in the industry.

The comprehensive approach of this text brings a multi-faceted perspective of writing, reporting, and producing that is needed more than ever in today's world of convergent journalism. This newest edition is being completely overhauled by the experienced journalist Frank Barnas. New photos and illustrations, a restructuring of the text, expanded end-of-chapter exercises, newer and more relevant examples, and more information on producing all contribute to giving readers what they need most: a nuanced understanding of how the media of today function in a world without news boundaries.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half Title
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Contents
  6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  7. INTRODUCTION
  8. Part 1 Acquiring the News
    1. CHAPTER 1 Ethical Considerations
      1. Introduction
      2. Accuracy
      3. Libel
      4. Defenses
      5. False Light
      6. Boundaries
      7. Hidden Cameras and Microphones
      8. Ambush Interviews
      9. Gratuities
      10. Conflict of Interest
      11. Reenactments and Staging
      12. “Unnatural” Sound
      13. Video Deception
      14. Improper Editing
      15. Jump Cuts
      16. Inflating the News
      17. Will the Real Reporter Please Stand Up?
      18. Cameras in the Courtroom
      19. The Fairness Doctrine
      20. Invasion of Privacy
    2. CHAPTER 2 Locating the News
      1. Introduction
      2. Spontaneous, Planned, and Enterprised Stories
      3. Assignment Desk
      4. Follow-Ups on Previous Newscasts
      5. The Wires
      6. Local Experts
      7. Monitoring the Competition
      8. Beat Checks, Cop Shops, and Police Scanners
      9. News Releases and Futures Files
      10. Info Calls
      11. The Calendar
      12. Internet Bookmarks
      13. Production Meetings
    3. CHAPTER 3 Developing Stories
      1. Introduction
      2. Advancing the Story
      3. Avoiding the Pack
      4. Internet
      5. Localization
      6. Tips
      7. Confidentiality
      8. Accuracy of Sources
      9. Gaining Confidence
      10. Leaks
      11. Trial Balloons
      12. Authoritative or Informed Sources
      13. Background Briefings
      14. Keeping in Touch
    4. CHAPTER 4 Collecting Information from Real and Virtual Documents
      1. Introduction
        1. Open records
      2. Public Records and “Sunshine Laws”
      3. Filing an FOIA Request
      4. The Privacy Act
        1. Collecting governmental information
      5. Government
      6. Businesses and Individuals
      7. Business Publications and Indexes
      8. Trade Publications
      9. Police Records
      10. Court Records
      11. Law Enforcement Databases
      12. Birth and Death Records
      13. Licenses
      14. Land Records
      15. Financial Records
      16. Tax Records
      17. Public Records
        1. Additional real and virtual documents
      18. Database Services
      19. City Directories
      20. Creating Contact Lists
    5. CHAPTER 5 Beats, Spot News, and Reporting Assignments
      1. Introduction
      2. Beats
        1. Business/consumer
        2. Crime
        3. Education
        4. Entertainment/community
        5. Environment
        6. Health
        7. Local government
        8. Military
        9. Science/technology
        10. Sports
        11. Weather
      3. Spot News
        1. Accidents
        2. Crime
        3. Demonstrations
        4. Disasters
        5. Fires
        6. Rape
        7. Riots
        8. Tragedies
        9. Guidelines for covering violent stories
  9. Part 2  Writing the News
    1. CHAPTER 6 Newswriting Mechanics
      1. Introduction
      2. Slugs
      3. The Split Page
      4. Avoiding Split Words and Sentences
      5. Punctuation
      6. Rewriting Wire Copy
      7. Conversational Style
      8. Reading Your Copy Aloud
      9. Avoiding Information Overload
      10. Looking Ahead
      11. Timing Stories
    2. CHAPTER 7 Newswriting Style
      1. Introduction
      2. Descriptors and Identifiers
        1. Names and titles
        2. Middle names, initials, and maiden names
        3. Foreign names
        4. Ages
        5. Marital status and children
        6. Race
      3. Numbers, Capital Numbers, Punctuation Marks, and Web Sites
        1. Numbers
        2. Capital numbers
        3. Punctuation marks
        4. Web sites
      4. Language—Using the Best Words
        1. Avoiding abbreviations
        2. Contractions
        3. Eliminating long words
        4. Conjunctions
        5. Prepositions
        6. Pronouns
        7. Adjectives and adverbs
        8. Avoiding clichés
        9. Good grammar and some exceptions
      5. Language—Using the Best Phrasing
        1. Active and passive voices
        2. Modifying phrases
        3. Avoiding relative clauses
      6. Verbs
        1. Be …ing verbs
        2. Present tense
        3. Present perfect tense
        4. Mixing tenses
        5. Says and related verbs
      7. Attribution, Quotes, Time, Transitions, and Locations
        1. Attribution
        2. Using quotes
        3. Expressing time
        4. Transitions
        5. Locations
        6. People, not persons
    3. CHAPTER 8 Writing Compelling Leads
      1. Introduction
      2. The Five Ws and H Rule
      3. The “Right” Emotion
      4. Types of Leads
        1. Hard and soft leads
        2. Quote leads
        3. Shotgun leads
        4. Delayed leads
        5. Negative leads
        6. Trivia leads
        7. Question leads
      5. Updating the Lead
        1. Updating and reworking the lead
        2. Constructing the rest of the story
  10. Part 3  Reporting the News
    1. CHAPTER 9 Fieldwork
      1. Introduction
      2. Equipment
        1. Videotapes
        2. Batteries and AC power
        3. Tripods
        4. Video cameras
      3. Video
        1. Filters
        2. White balancing
        3. Mixed light
        4. Focusing
        5. Shooting techniques
        6. Cover footage
        7. Establishing shots
        8. Sequences
        9. Shooting enough footage
        10. Time coding
      4. Audio
        1. Recording primary sound
        2. Recording natural sound
        3. Earphones
        4. Establishing rapport with the videographer
        5. One-man band
        6. Quality suffers
    2. CHAPTER 10 Interviewing
      1. Introduction
      2. Preparation
      3. Warming up
      4. Setting the Stage
        1. Informational
        2. Technical
      5. Phrasing Questions Carefully
      6. Avoiding Leading Questions
      7. Listening Carefully
      8. The Tough Questions
      9. Keeping Control
      10. Curbing Nods and Smiles
      11. Identifying Sound Bytes
      12. Checking Facts
      13. Asking Enough Questions
      14. Finishing the Interview
      15. Returning to the Station
      16. Special Considerations
      17. Off the Record
      18. Man-on-the-Street Interviews
      19. The Phone Interview
      20. An Interview Checklist
    3. CHAPTER 11 Covering Planned Events
      1. Introduction
      2. Press Conferences
      3. Covering the Press Conference
      4. Interviewing Around the Press Conference
      5. Finding Workable Video
      6. Meetings
      7. Political Campaigns
      8. Grand Openings
        1. Feature events
    4. CHAPTER 12 Reporting Live
      1. Introduction
      2. Organizing Thoughts
      3. Ad-Libbing
      4. The Challenges of Electronic News Gathering
      5. Keeping Cool
      6. Memorizing and Delivering Live Reports
      7. Voiceovers from the Field
      8. Technical Challenges
    5. CHAPTER 13 Voiceovers, Packages, and Story Formats
      1. Introduction
      2. Readers
      3. Combining Words and Pictures
      4. Voiceovers
      5. Scripting the Voiceover
      6. Incorporating Sound Bytes
      7. The Split Page
        1. Audio
        2. Video
      8. The Package
      9. Stand-ups and Reporter Involvement
      10. Posting Stories
  11. Part 4  Producing the News
    1. CHAPTER 14 Producing the Television Newscast
      1. Introduction
      2. Producers—Definitions and Skills
        1. Executive producer
        2. Line producer (show producer)
        3. Associate producer
        4. Field producer
        5. Producers and writing skills
        6. Producers and enthusiasm
        7. Producers and energy
      3. The Logistics and Strategies of Producing
        1. Staff meetings
        2. The rundown
        3. Leads, clusters, and kickers
        4. Peaks and valleys
        5. Rhythm and flow
        6. Ad-libs, bumps, teases, and tosses
        7. Producing tips
      4. Technical Aspects of Producing
        1. Balancing the anchors
        2. Still pictures
        3. Live shots
        4. Back timing
    2. CHAPTER 15 Producing the Radio Newscast
      1. Introduction
      2. The State of Radio News
      3. Your Audience
      4. Organizing Material
      5. Writing from the Back
      6. The Lead Story
      7. The Rest of the Newscast
      8. Localizing the News
      9. Story Length
      10. Actualities
      11. Studio Technology
      12. Wraparounds
      13. Lead-Ins
      14. Teases
      15. Headlines
      16. Pad Copy
      17. Back Timing
      18. Convergence and Radio News
    3. CHAPTER 16 Delivering the News
      1. Introduction
      2. Appearance
      3. Credibility
      4. One-Way Communication
      5. Getting Help with Your Delivery
      6. Dialects
      7. Listening to Yourself
      8. Correct Pronunciation
      9. Pacing
      10. Marking Copy
      11. Characteristics of Successful Anchors
      12. Cosmetics
    4. CHAPTER 17 Network and Global News
      1. Introduction
      2. Networks and Affiliates
      3. Network News Structure
      4. News on Public Television
      5. Domestic Networks, Global Reach
      6. Online News Portals
      7. News Wire Services
      8. The Internet’s Delivery of Global News
      9. Press Freedom
    5. CHAPTER 18 Convergence and the Media
      1. Introduction
      2. Convergence Models
      3. Broadcast Journalism and Print Journalism
      4. Hyper Text Media Language (HTML), XHTML, and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
      5. Digital Video
      6. Digital Photography
      7. Digital Audio
      8. Podcasting
      9. Social Network Pages
      10. Blogs, E-Mails, and Mobile Devices
  12. GLOSSARY
  13. INDEX

Product information

  • Title: Broadcast News Writing, Reporting, and Producing, 5th Edition
  • Author(s): Frank Barnas, Frank Barnas, Ted White
  • Release date: October 2013
  • Publisher(s): Focal Press
  • ISBN: 9781136025136