Before I head out on any broadcast piece, my managers are always yelling this from the assignment desk. If you are not familiar with what a TVU is you should be. A TVU is a portable, wireless electronic news tool that allows you to broadcast from almost anywhere. In other words, it is a live truck shrunken down into a back pack that you can carry to remote areas.
There is no doubt a TVU makes you more mobile. You can go places where you can’t pull cable. Here is proof:
Last October, I stumbled upon breaking news with my photographer. A 50-plus car pileup on I-75 south near Sarasota. We jumped out, left our car and headed toward the heart of the accident. And, if you watch the video, you will see what ensued. We were live in the middle of the pileup and could walk viewers through the scene. Every other station that showed up was a mile away doing stagnant live shots from the shoulder of the road. Instead, we were walking, talking, showing and conducting live interviews. In the end, our coverage ended up winning us a National Headliner Award.
Below is another example. Typically, crews are left going live outside the airport … you usually have enough cable to get you close to the drop off area or arrival pickups. The TVU allowed me to retrace the man’s last steps in the airport.
There is no doubt TVU technology is in its infancy but its potential is astronomical. That being said, there are kinks that need to be worked out before we can say bye to live trucks. If you have ever worked on TVU, you know that your signal is dependent on wi-fi and cell towers. Sometimes in rural areas, maintaining a strong signal is impossible–and there goes your live shot.
Not to mention there is a 4-5 second delay. That means your producer must be on their feet and cue you early…then wait til your package is nearing its end and again cue you. Trust me when I say it can throw you off to work this way.
But, these are all minor issues. I believe the TVU is like the first form of a computer….fast forward a decade or two and now computers can fit in your back pocket. Without a doubt, TVU is here to stay and will only improve over time.
Jacqueline Ingles is a multimedia journalist for WFTS-TV, the ABC affiliate in Tampa, Florida. She specializes in crime and courts in Pinellas County. She writes, shoots, edits, and fronts her own work while doing also doing all of her own web work. Prior to WFTS, Jacqueline worked for almost three years at KXAN in Austin, Texas, as a one-woman-band MPJ. While in Texas, she covered the devastating drought and wildfires. Jacqueline’s work appeared numerous times on CNN during her time in Austin. Jacqueline also worked at WCTV’s Valdosta, Georgia, bureau and at MTV News as a political correspondent during President Barack Obama’s campaign. A native of Chicago, Jacqueline received a masters in broadcast journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She also graduated Summa Cum Laude from Loyola University-Chicago. She held two internships at WBBM and WLS in Chicago. Her print journalism work been published in the Northwest Indiana Times, Chicago Syndicate, Beep!, and the New Mexico Free Press.
A quick prologue: I’ve discovered major breaking news events always reveal something about the way TV stations cover important stories. We find out more about what works for us, what doesn’t, what we should do, and what we shouldn’t do. Today, I have feelings similar to the ones I had after watching the unfolding tragedy in Newtown. It’s mostly sadness, but there is also a dose of reflection.
As a morning show producer, I’m asleep during the day. At 4:25 p.m. Monday, I just happened to wake up, turn to my phone, and see several breaking news texts. I rolled out of bed, turned on my TV, and switched through the networks’ live coverage of the Boston Marathon bombings.
I’m curious, and a know-it-all, so I wanted as much information as possible. As I changed channels, I stuck with CBS. Scott Pelley’s delivery engaged me more than Brian Williams (though I typically lean toward Williams). Once I realized CBS wasn’t getting updates as fast as I wanted, I hopped back to NBC, then my ABC station (which turned to a local broadcast), then to ESPN. I reached a point where I knew everything the stations knew (and what they hadn’t confirmed). It then dawned on me: competition doesn’t serve the audience well in times of chaotic breaking news.
Given the number of injuries, the lack of a suspect, and the potential danger still looming, this should have been a situation where the networks (and other news outlets) pool together efforts to ensure the public is correctly informed. I realize the FCC won’t allow stations to collude, but I know a bending of the rules should be allowed from time to time to serve the greater public. Clearly, some news outlets are better than others at getting the latest information from police, hospitals, public officials, etc. In the face of tragedy, the desire to “win” should be subservient to the need to get people informed.
I noticed the stations failed to acknowledge any developments on social media. After I turned off the TV around 5:30, I checked my TweetDeck, and saw people sharing Google’s Person Finder, to help people track loved ones. Perhaps the networks brought it up after I stop watching, but based on the hour of coverage I watched, they ignored social media.
Imagine how worthwhile and valuable TV’s coverage could be if all the networks shared important pieces of information like this to its viewers. This collaboration doesn’t have to last days. It might only need to last until the day ends (depending on when tragedy strikes), or a threat has subsided. By Tuesday morning, I think they collaboration window for Boston probably closed since an imminent danger seems to have subsided.
I’m sure my calls for “teamwork” will fall on deaf ears. I understand it might even be too difficult to contact every single news outlet to confirm what they’ve confirmed while scrambling during breaking news. But I will remain optimistic that something can be done that can improve TV’s response to tragedy that better serves the public.
Mike Brannen is a morning newscast producer for KSTP, the ABC affiliate in Minneapolis-St.Paul. Before that, he was a producer at KIRO7 in Seattle, where he led the 4:30 a.m. show to a #1 share in the U.S. He received an MA in Broadcast Management from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2010 and received his Bachelor of Journalism degree the year before. He shares more about his life at mikebrannen.com and on Twitter: @MikeBrannen.
Being thrust into the fray of becoming a full-time reporter, fresh out of college can be very stressful. The stress of a new job coupled with an already stressful working environment can be overwhelming and it can be easy to forget why you got into this profession in the first place.
Here are 5 tips to make it through:
1. Striving for perfection. In an effort to try to impress your new bosses, you may try to make every article or segment perfect. It’s OK to make it as good as possible, but at a certain point, you just have to understand that not every thing you do will be perfect. While striving for perfection, it is possible to hurt yourself because you focus on the little things too much and lose sight of the larger issue. There is a saying that sums this up: Perfection is the enemy of good.
2. Explore. On your day(s) off, take in the sights and sounds in the community. This will help you learn more about the area you are covering and interacting with people will help you learn about the community. It is also a good way to build sources.
3. Building relationships takes time. Don’t take it personally if some people are reluctant to open up to you since you are the “new person.” It may take some time to build that relationship, so do not get discouraged. Take care of business and do what you know you know how to d0.
4. Get to know your editors and producers. Knowing them gives you an idea of what they like and will make your life easier. Trust me.
5. Just breathe. When it gets overwhelming, just take a few moments and gather your thoughts. Clarity is a beautiful thing.
Ryan Broussard works as an intern at the Advocate in Baton Rouge where he covers crime and works general assignments on the weekend. He graduated from UL Lafayette with both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He has been an SPJ member 2006. Connect with him on Twitter, @ryanmbroussard.
There is the old saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but when is comes to journalism, there are always new tricks to learn.
Whether it comes in the form of different, more creative ways to say something or new tricks in editing audio or video; learning new things never hurts.
Here are five different things you can do to pick up new tricks:
1. Reading/Watching what others are doing: This one should be obvious, but alas, it is not. For print journalists, it is an simple as reading the newspaper and seeing how other journalists you admire write and structure their stories. For broadcast journalists, the same philosophy applies. Watching and listening how others work their stories is very beneficial.
2. Keep up with social media and online tools. I know some people may be tired of hearing about social media, but it does have its uses. My other GenJ colleagues have written past blog posts about social media tools to use, so I won’t go in-depth. Just scroll through past posts and you may get some ideas.
3. Participate in webinars. The Poynter Institute puts on great online training tools for journalists. ‘Nuff said.
4. Talk to friends in the profession to pick their brains about ideas and tips. Those talks are often invaluable.
5. Read books. I know I talked about reading earlier, but reading books written by journalists will help tremendously. Find a good author and enjoy the ride.
Ryan Broussard works as an intern at the Advocate in Baton Rouge where he covers crime and works general assignments on the weekend. He graduated from UL Lafayette with both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He has been an SPJ member 2006. Connect with him on Twitter, @ryanmbroussard.
I believe in a lot of things. I vote in every election, for every candidate that I can. I sign petitions when I truly believe in the cause. I fundraise. I support friends’ causes.
But I won’t change my profile pictures to show any of that — because I am a journalist.
You may have noticed a sea of red on Facebook by now (if not, here’s an article from one of my favorite sources, ReadWrite Social (ReadWriteWeb’s Social channel) about it). Two equal signs (made of various things; I noticed a few brands jumping on this) on a dark red background. On Facebook. On Twitter. On Instagram. I am going to tell you right now — I believe in marriage equality. I believe that two people who are LUCKY enough to find each other should be able to celebrate that love with Tiffany’s, registries and overpriced invitations.
But I do not believe that I should use my profile to show my support for this cause. I don’t think changing my identity online will do anything to change the decision of the supreme court. I think writing posts like this, having discussions with my peers — and with people in general — is what is going to change public opinion.
Voting changes public opinion. Speaking out changes public opinion.
So, I urge you, my fellow journalists and soon-to-be journalists to think long and hard before using your valuable brand space to support another cause — there’s nothing wrong with writing a status or blog post, but giving up your “face” real estate? That’s something I simply won’t do.
Technology in the journalism world can be a fickle business. New tools are launching all the time, with Twitter’s Vine video app among the latest creations.
While some tools are mandatory for tech-savvy journalists, others launch big and die horribly. We’ve culled the graveyard of technology’s past for three tools journalists used that have bit the dust.
Note: Going with the “dead” theme of this post, each entry has a Ghostbusters reference.
Print
Egon Spengler said it best: “Print is dead.” That was never more the case than in 2013. Newspapers have had major layoffs and shut down completely. Entire websites have devoted to the topic, like Newspaperdeathwatch.com and Paper Cuts.
Yet some still have hope. Famed investor Warren Buffet recently bought the Tulsa World and Greensboro News & Record, according to the Poynter Institute.
Will print rise from the dead, even with tablet and smartphone users everywhere you look? Only time will tell.
Flip Video
This mini camcorder was so popular, Oprah Winfry used the tool to give her audience a back-stage pass to her show. Even Katie Couric used the camera to give a behind-the-scenes tour of the White House, according to the Huffington Post.
However, the tech was short lived. The New York Times reported in April 2011 that Cysco Systems shut down its Flip Video division.
It may have been short lived, but it was much more advanced than the camcorder Ray Stantz was lugging around in the New York Public Library.
Google Buzz
Remember when Google’s answer to Twitter was hyped all over the internet? According to Mashable, Google Buzz was first demo’ed in 2010. The company finally shut down the service in 2011, according to a Mashable article, to focus on Google+.
The social platform’s year of activity wasn’t without drama. The New York Times reported on Valentine’s Day, 2010 that Google issued an apology after users became concerned over privacy.
In the words of Peter Venkman, “Valentine’s Day – bummer.”
Rob McLean is a Digital Managing Editor with Hearst Television. He has been a member of the Society of Professional Journalists since 2010 and a member of the Online News Association since 2012. Interact on Twitter: @robertmclean.
I’ve always maintained that the hardest part of a journalist’s job is enterprising original stories. It’s even more difficult if you have to do it five days a week. I do not envy the reporters at my TV station.
Presenting new stories daily is part of their job description. I am a newscast producer, so I’m not expected to offer my own original story each day. I feel I do get another pass because I work overnights. Come on, who am I supposed to call at 3:00 a.m. to develop good stories? However, I like to contribute something here and there.
When I talk about original stories, I think of a few things:
1. It’s not from a press release
2. It’s a follow to a story that people might have forgotten about
3. It’s something no one else has even mentioned yet
Despite my work schedule, I do maintain a social life outside of work, especially when I wake up in the early evenings (you read that part right).
Recently, the Minnesota chapter of SPJ had a trivia night, and teamed up with the members of the Minnesota Public Relations Society of America. The first five minutes were tough; I didn’t know anybody and didn’t recognize anyone. I put my coat down near a group, and just said hello.
They were all PR folk. Minutes after the standard “where do you work, where are you from” questions, it was already time to announce the trivia teams. A trivia night was an excellent idea, because every team had a least one journo and one PR rep.
In between questions, our team learned more about each other, exchanged business cards, and had a good time (it helped that we took 2nd place). Afterwards, I caught up with the first group from that night, chatted more, and traded more cards.
I have at least three new story ideas from that night. Granted, look at who was there: PR reps. Their job is to GIVE you stories. It’s a match made in heaven. You need stories, they have ones they want you to cover.
I’m sure someone reading this will say, “those PR reps will send your newsroom a press release anyway, so why butter them up?” I argue that the personal connection with these people will give you an edge later. You’ve got a foot in the door and they’ll scratch your back a bit more. Your interaction with them gives them validation for what they are doing, and makes their efforts worthwhile. When you do something for someone, they’ll return the favor (at least, that’s the way it should be).
What I learned from that night is that an easy way to find good stories is to meet with the people who are ready to have a story to tell. Networking events (especially ones with PR) are packed with people who are trying to sell themselves. They WANT to talk to you.
Give them an ear, and see what you find.
Mike Brannen is a morning newscast producer for KSTP, the ABC affiliate in Minneapolis-St.Paul. Before that, he was a producer at KIRO7 in Seattle, where he led the 4:30 a.m. show to a #1 share in the U.S. He received an MA in Broadcast Management from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2010 and received his Bachelor of Journalism degree the year before. He shares more about his life at mikebrannen.com and on Twitter: @MikeBrannen.
Yet young journalists continue to find jobs. Non-profit journalism organizations are hiring reporters and editors fresh out of J-School. Recently, I spoke with three of these non-profit journalists about their careers.
From left to right: Michael Todd, Managing Editor of Hear Nebraska (photo by Rob McLean), Rebecca Thiele, Radio Producer for WMUK (photo courtesy of Rebecca Thiele), Lauren Mills, Digital Analyst and Reporter for IowaWatch (photo courtesy of Lauren Mills)
Lauren Mills, Digital Analyst and Reporter at Iowa Watch
Lauren Mills turned a student job into a full time journalism gig.
She landed a reporting gig at IowaWatch after applying for a fellowship program with the organization– a website that dedicates itself to “producing and encouraging explanatory and investigative journalism in Iowa, engaging in collaborative reporting efforts with Iowa news organizations and educating journalism students.”
Mills started out as a student reporter, but moved up to web manager and assistant editor during her senior year. After a brief stint at the Sioux City Journal, Mills joined Iowa Watch as a digital analyst and reporter.
Aside from reporting, Mills has sit in on board meetings, where she said she gets an inside view on what the organization is doing in various areas. It also gives her insight into how the organization is coming along in funding.
The main difference between working at IowaWatch and a traditional newspaper, she said, is the length of journalism. She said IowaWatch is able to do long-form pieces, averaging one article per week.
Participation is also different, she said. Iowa Watch has a smaller staff than her old newspaper, she said, which lets everyone participate in every aspect of the process.
Michael Todd, Managing Editor of Hear Nebraska
Full disclosure: I’ve made a monetary donation to and have written a few articles forHear Nebraska, a non-profit music journalism website focusing on the Nebraska’s music scene. That’s how I came to meet its managing editor, Michael Todd.
Todd has been with HN since the organization’s early days. He said he really likes the creativity he’s allotted by the website’s co-founders, Andrew and Angie Norman.
“It’s just very open, productive and creative,” Todd said.
He met the Normans, after inviting them on a radio show he hosted on KRNU – the University of Nebraska’s student radio station. After the show, Todd said he applied for an internship with the organization and worked his way to managing editor.
Todd said he focuses most of his energy on producing editorial content, leaving development and conferring with the organization’s board of directors to the Normans. However, he has worked on fundraising initiatives for the site.
Pitching ideas for the website is relatively easy, Todd said. He said he isn’t sure that would be possible at a newspaper that is already established.
Rebecca Thiele, Radio Producer at WMUK
I met Rebecca Thiele while she was freelancing for Patch.com in the St. Louis area. I was a Local Editor, and she had written some news coverage for the site I managed.
Thiele graduated from the University of Missouri in May 2011. She said she was trying to find a job in radio, and the WMUK job looked attractive.
She said the organization is very good about keeping the news department separate from fundraising and other nonprofit aspects of the organization.
“When we need someone to do on-air fund drives, the news people are pretty much the last pick,” she said.
However, she’s not totally isolated from all aspects of the non-profit model. For instance, the show she produces has underwriting from the Richmond Center for Visual Arts – an organization on which she might report.
Thiele said when an opportunity to cover the organization arises, she asks herself if she would cover that story if the organization wasn’t underwriting the show. If the answer is yes, she pursues the story.
Rob McLean is a Digital Managing Editor with Hearst Television. He has been a member of the Society of Professional Journalists since 2010 and a member of the Online News Association since 2012. Interact on Twitter: @robertmclean.
Check out our Pinterest page for some design inspiration. We’ll be posting things we like on our “What Inspires You?” board and invite you to share things with us (by tagging @SPJGenerationJ) that inspire you.
Then, submit your design by March 15, 2013. We’re going to start collecting submissions Monday, Feb. 18, 2013. Take some time this weekend to practice!
We will then pick our favorites and have a voting bracket of sorts on our Facebook page. More details to come on this once we see what you’ve got. We’re going to ask the Web to vote and, as an added bonus, we’ll add your Twitter name (and/or website) to your design so you get some exposure too.
Share this with your favorite designers — they don’t have to be journalists, they just have to get what we do. Think you have what it takes? Share it with us! We’re so excited to see what you come up with!
Not a day goes by where I don’t here an intern say, “I want to make it to market one, New York!”
New York City, the number 1 market in the country
Broadcast news is comprised of 210 markets. Many newcomers to the industry look at anything 150+ as the bottom of the barrel. There seems to be a constant rush to make it a to a top 50, then make it to a top 20, then make it to a top 10 and if the broadcast Gods are happy, make it to network.Calm down budding broadcasters!
Glendive, MT, the number 210 market in the country
Many people overlook that it is not the market you work in but the news you cover. In my personal experience, no one wanted to work in my Valdosta, Georgia, bureau. Sure, we were connected to Tallahassee, market 105. In reality, we were market 140. But, guess what? In the year I spent there, we had six homicides in less than eight weeks, historic flooding and a horrific crash on I-75. Not one reporter in Tallahassee had those reporting opportunities and experiences. After one year, market 47 called and I was on my way to Austin, Texas.
Jacqueline Ingles reporting from scene of washed away road.
One of the markets I always like to point to is El Paso, Texas. A border city, for a long time it was ranked market 99. With the international news coverage opportunities, national stories including boarder wars, drug related issues, etc, those reporters and anchors are launching out of that market right into top 5 jobs. So, the next time you snub a low ranking market job, rethink it. Instead of looking at number, ask the following questions:
1) What types of news does the station cover?
2) Is there a variety where I can cover a lot of different topics on a daily basis?
3) Is there room for creative and storytelling or is more of a nuts and bolts market?
4) Is there room to push yourself and do stories you are passionate about?
As a one-woman-band, I knew I had to work harder than a two man crew. But, pounding pavement, thinking outside the box and creativity led me to an exclusive that left other stations in the dust.In other words, I was in a market that gave me opportunity. Opportunity and experience are what you should look for because as you rise in markets (which you will), the opportunities lessen and you are more tied to a specific role and a specific beat.
Jacqueline Ingles is a multimedia journalist for WFTS-TV, the ABC affiliate in Tampa, Florida. She specializes in crime and courts in Pinellas County. She writes, shoots, edits, and fronts her own work while doing also doing all of her own web work. Prior to WFTS, Jacqueline worked for almost three years at KXAN in Austin, Texas, as a one-woman-band MPJ. While in Texas, she covered the devastating drought and wildfires. Jacqueline’s work appeared numerous times on CNN during her time in Austin. Jacqueline also worked at WCTV’s Valdosta, Georgia, bureau and at MTV News as a political correspondent during President Barack Obama’s campaign. A native of Chicago, Jacqueline received a masters in broadcast journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She also graduated Summa Cum Laude from Loyola University-Chicago. She held two internships at WBBM and WLS in Chicago. Her print journalism work been published in the Northwest Indiana Times, Chicago Syndicate, Beep!, and the New Mexico Free Press.
