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.
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.
It’s not news to anyone that more and more news is being consumed online. Yes, people still read the newspaper and watch television and listen to the radio, but the Internet and social media are becoming the popular choice for consuming news.
So, we know this, but how are we capitalizing on it? And are we doing it often enough?
I would argue journalists can always do more with web content. More videos, more social media interaction, more interactives, the list goes on and on.
Here are some successful web content elements I have created.
1. Live streaming. The Oprah interview with Lance Armstrong is a perfect example of this. While the interview was live on television, it was simultaneously streaming live on the web. You can do this with court events, press conferences and more and you don’t have to interrupt any programs on TV.
2. Web interactives. Data is great but can be overwhelming and dull at times. Web interactives can make the data easy to understand andeasier to sift through for your audience.
3. Web extras. Have an incredible interview but can’t include it all in the piece? Why not add it to the web? Or behind-the-scenes videos or explanations of how the story came a part are always great too.
4. Live blogging. Live tweeting. Sometime your audience cannot always be watching or listening live to meeting, press conference or court event. So, why not live blog the event or live tweet it with hashtags? It can help you gain followers and it helps share information as it happens.
5. Photo slideshows. People love photos. From people to animals to scene photos, people will look and they will click on them. They are a great way to generate clicks and hits for your website.
I think all of these are worth trying and once you try them I bet you will keep doing them and see results.
Lynn Walsh in the Investigative Producer for WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida. She is the Chair for the SPJ Generation J Committee and also sits on the Board for the SPJ South Florida Chapter. Connect with her on Twitter, @LWalsh or send her an e-mail: Lynn.K.Walsh@gmail.com.
Los Angeles is known for its many seasons: fire season, storm season and of course the most coveted award season. Although all the other seasons might sound charming, (and believe me, nothing is more exciting than “storm watch -insert year here-”), when it comes down to it, it’s all about award season.
Iʼve mentioned before that living in the shadow of the iconic sign, I wasnʼt too shocked when I was asked to work during this yearʼs award season.
What is award season? In a nut shell its all the award shows (Grammyʼs, SAG, Emmyʼs, Golden Globes and the mother of them all: The Oscars) that usually happens early in the year. Now, Iʼm sure most of you are probably thinking: “Oh, so you were on the red carpet doing interviews?” The answer is: No, not exactly. My primary role as a freelance production assistant lies behind the scenes, a few blocks away at the bureau. And this being my first exposure to award season, I wasnʼt sure what exactly I was in for.
My day began (or in this case afternoon) with a quick rundown of everyoneʼs assignments ranging from logging fashion cameras, different correspondentʼs interview cameras and of course the actual show. This takes place to better assist producers and correspondents in locating specific sound bites, fashion trends (good or bad) and the overall theme which will contribute to the next dayʼs hot topics.
After the show is aired and the rental trucks arrive to break down the set, the real work begins. I begin to proofread my logs and take note of anything interesting SOTs, look through Twitter for celeb reactions and file them in an email addressed to the whole unit.
This is done as I wait for producers, reporters and photographers to return with footage needing to be fed to anyone who requests it and then archived into the library. The process can continue into the early morning, depending on how long it all takes to arrive.
Personally, I think this is much more fun than being out on the red carpet since you get an opportunity to see the big picture of the event from both sides. From coaxing a celeb for an interview to watching a parade of a stylists hard work, it’s amazing how much work and energy is involved to cover these types of events. The day is long, but what do you expect? Its Hollywood, babe!
Claudia Amezcua is a freelance multi-plaform reporter and production assistant based inf Los Angeles, CA. She is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelors in Communications, and is currently pursuing an Associates Degree in On-Air Radio Broadcasting from Mt. San Antonio College. Ms. Amezcua’s work experience includes anchor, reporter, and DJ at 90.1 KSAK in Walnut, CA, and as a freelance production and library assistant for CNN. You can follow Claudia on twitter by @ClaudiaAmezcua, or visit claudiaamezcua.com.
The advent of the internet and blogs has ushered in a plethora of people sharing their opinions, views and whatever mumbo-jumbo is in their head.
As you navigate through the blog haven, you will most likely come across writing that should never have been put on paper or the web and others using blogs as their own personal soapbox in cyberspace. I call this unnecessary cyberspace clutter.
Anyone can write a blog but not everyone should. So, what makes a blog good?
1) Blogs Should Serve a Purpose
Anything you write should be of value to your reader and to you. Whether you are writing about the latest wedding trends or health, you have an opportunity to educate and foster conversation. Often times, bloggers turn posts into their personal diaries. Trust me, the world has enough soap operas, we don’t need yours.
2) Use pictures & Videos
Pictures liven up a blog and can lure readers to keep on scrolling and coming back. Every blog should have a picture or even videos. Video blogs are also great.
3) Be Genuine
It is tiring to see how many individuals use big words and hide behind them to pose as intelligent. Readers want to relate to you, not feel inferior. Don’t get me wrong, having a strong vocabulary is a good thing, there is just no reason to sound like you are reciting a chemistry encyclopedia. And, be honest. People can tell when someone is posing as something they are not.
4) Say ‘No’ to the Soapbox
Many blogs have hidden agendas. It is easy to read between the lines on most of them. Blogs should not say what is right and wrong and how you should live your life. Your life is your choice. Ultimately, blogs are opinions and thoughts and every person thinks different.
5) Update
Don’t leave your readers and followers hanging for weeks to hear from you. If you are serious about blogging, update daily or at least every other day. Some bloggers post multiple things a day. Constantly feed your audience.
MY FAVORITE BLOG
A blog that I read constantly and that I find ideal for me is Live, Laugh, Run, Today. The writing is fun, easy and enjoyable. Also, I can relate to the content. Yes, the disclaimer is that I am friends with Abby Gustus, the author. And, I openly admit that. You can read her or dismiss this as promotion…but, if you read her blog, you will see what makes it good and why she was invited to a Skype interview on the Today Show and why Katie Couric and fitness guru Joy Bauer follow her. Trust me when I tell you, those big guns tweet her.
You will see that on every blog entry, there are photos. No one wants to see black and white print on a page. Abby offers a window into her daily life and she becomes real. Her blog is almost a photo album.
She also has a purpose: being a young, working woman and trying to stay fit. There are a lot of women out there that have chaotic schedules and she addresses how to manage being healthy in our fast-paced society. If she slips up on working out or munches on a bad snack–well, she will tell you. Go look, she admits that one day she ate Greek yogurt and had a Diet Coke for breakfast. (Something I see women at my work do almost daily and I am also guilty as charged)
What is most remarkable about this blog is that Abby is in marketing. She decided to do this as something educational and fun–almost a side hobby. It goes to show that there are talented writers out there that can contribute something great to the Web.
Jacqueline Ingles is a multi-platform reporter for KXAN-TV in Austin, Texas. She writes, shoots, edits, fronts her story and then provides a more in-depth story version on her station’s web site daily. She founded the blog “In Ingles Please” in early 2010. A native of Chicago, Jacqueline received a master’s in broadcast journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She also graduated Summa Cum Laude from Loyola University-Chicago.
With more than 500,000 apps available for iPhone/Droid what are the best apps out there to help a journalists cover stories out in the field, everyone has their favorites.
Personally, while on the field I have found the following apps useful when I need to get something out to the world promptly.
1. Twitter
Okay, I know we all have this app at our disposal, but I honestly think its so much better than the other incarnations out there that offer the same ability to tweet on the go.
2. Facebook
When I need to update my friends and fans with news and also find story tips.
3. Hootsuite
Best app when I want to update all my social media platforms with one single entry. The best part of this app is that I can also schedule tweets for later postings. (more…)
I’m still not sure what I want to be when I grow up. And I’m beginning to think that’s okay.
Like most college students, time in school was spent with an end goal. Regardless of whether it’s your freshman year or the last steps across the stage for that diploma, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Your primary task, at least at that moment, is to graduate. Sure, you think about jobs and careers and resumes, but those are long-term thoughts.
For me, this whole thing was fantastic. I’m a “list-cross-er-off-er.” I put something on my list and, no matter how long it takes to complete (college, for example), I find relief, satisfaction, excitement even, in the fact that I finished it entirely. So there it was at the top of my list–graduate. Although frustratingly complicated (math) and sometimes completely unrelated to my focus (history of Van Halen), I pressed on until I enjoyed the sound of the pencil scratching through that one simple word.
But then, almost as quickly as the celebration headache had worn off, I realized that I didn’t have an immediate goal anymore. I needed a job, but there’s no guarantee that I’ll find something I love, which doesn’t really warrant being crossed off. Grad school? My own business? A completely new career path?
After changing my mind every single day for a month, I realized I don’t have to always have it all planned out. I don’t have to always know what the next step is. Nothing in a book of rules outlines the plan I have to follow. (more…)
I think that my name is unique enough, so why should I get a “.com?”
Yes, this question actually was asked by an experienced reporter a few months ago while discussing career tips with me when I first began freelancing. Seriously though, what is the big deal with having my own website?
Actually, it is a big deal (unless you are a “big deal”), and when it comes down to it, it is simply called a domain name. A domain name is the url (universal resource locator) to a personalized website, blog, etc., that can be purchased through a domain registrar. The reason why this is important is because it is the single most important url associated you that a potential employer can remember to better remember you.
How to purchase a “Domain”
Go to domain registrar such as GoDaddy.com, Domains.com, Google.com or Yahoo.com, etc. to purchase your domain. Typically this can run as little as $10.00 to $20.00 dollars a year. Keep in mind that if you are planning to map your new domain name to your website hosted on another site (i.e. your blog on wordpress), it is possible to accrue an additional fee. Other alternate sites such as WordPress, Blogger and Tumblr allow you to purchase the domain through their site, which is usually less expensive than a registrar website.
What happens when my name is already taken?
So unfortunately, your name is potentially already being used by someone else. Before you begin to think your life as a journalist is over, get creative and think of another variation. Try something like “TheRealClaudiaAmezcua.com” or “TheClaudiaAmezcua.com,” (yes, I know its not as creative, however it still is professional).
Remember, whatever you choose as your domain name; make sure that it is something that is easy to remember and above all, who you are.
Claudia Amezcua is a freelance multi-plaform reporter and production assistant based inf Los Angeles, CA. She is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelors in Communications, and is currently pursuing an Associates Degree in On-Air Radio Broadcasting from Mt. San Antonio College. Ms. Amezcua’s work experience includes anchor, reporter, and DJ at 90.1 KSAK in Walnut, CA, and as a freelance production and library assistant for CNN. You can follow Claudia on twitter by @ClaudiaAmezcua, or visit claudiaamezcua.com.
A few months ago I was in sitting at my desk looking at my Twitter feed and began to notice the amount a retweets a certain person keep getting. Personally, since I do not have an enormous amount of followers (yet), I was curious to know how exactly one gets themselves noticed in the Twitter world. I did some research and found an amazing article called “How to Double your Retweets in Two Days” written by Jonathan Wondrusch from ByBloggers on Social Mouths.com that offered a bird’s eye view of standing out from the crowd.
1. It’s all relevant. Content, Content, Content…does that make sense?
2. What’s the story? Just like in print, it’s all about the headline. Readers are drawn to compelling headlines that scream: read me.
3. Twitter has a short attention span. That’s right; the reason why everyone loves Twitter is because it’s short and to the point, whereas other social media tends to have a person digging for a long period of time. Depending on how many people a person follows dictates how fast their feed updates.
4. When should I tweet? Ideally, Wondrusch suggests tweeting between the hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST. This is usually when the amount of people online peaks. However, he strongly suggests testing different times and seeing what works best for your following. A good way to do this is by using different twitter platforms such as TweetDeck and Hootsuite that allows tweets to be scheduled. The great thing about these tools is that they keep track of how many times your post was visited, and it’s FREE!
5. Don’t be selfish! Remember, Twitter is and always will be a way to socially connect with the world via the internet. So, share the wealth and retweet!
Claudia Amezcua is a freelance multi-plaform reporter and production assistant based out of Los Angeles, CA. She is a graduate from California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelors in Communications and is currently pursuing an Associates Degree in On Air Radio Broadcasting from Mt. San Antonio College. Ms. Amezcua work experience includes anchor, reporter and DJ at 90.1 KSAK Walnut and as a freelance production and library assistant for CNN. You can follow Claudia @ClaudiaAmezcua_ or visit claudiaamezcua.com.
