[main menu]
MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM
LOCAL NEWSCAST ASSIGNMENT SHEET


Short Newscast – Students will work in groups to produce short newscasts in the TV Studio. Using a variety of news sources, students will act as news, weather, and sports anchors. A handout sheet detailing the requirements and procedures is shown below. The newscasts will be produced during class time with the class acting as production crew.

For best results, follow these suggestions:

1. Plan your newscast to last 15 (3 people) or 20 minutes (4 people) including commercial breaks. Time out your stories and video segments to the second. News from one particular day should be used for a segment. The order is as follows: Segment 1: Hard News, Segment 2: Feature News, Segment 3: Weather, Segment 4: Sports. In a threesome, you drop one of the segments, but keep the order. Any changes or alterations to this must get the approval of Dr. Pace in advance. This is to make sure all groups are fairly evaluated.

Your group newscast must have the following:

a.       Two or three commercial breaks of 60 seconds each. (depending on group size)

b.      Three or four segments: hard news, features news, weather, & sports. (depending on group size)

c.       An opening news graphic/video (We will be using a generic Newswatch intro for 10 secs.)
A credit roll at end of program (this will be provided at the TV Studio - approx. 10 secs.)

d.      All script material on teleprompter (except for weather, which can be ad-libbed - all teleprompter material must be text or Word files - each group has one complete file with everyone's script included.)

e.      Prepared font and graphics ahead of time (Your group prepares this in advance and saves on the graphics computer - copy the Newswatch file to a new file, then update it with your names and graphics.  Do not save over the Newswatch file - this is a copy.  Save the copy with your names where you can find it for your production time.)

2. The responsibilities for each segment are as follows: (3 in a group use 3 out of 4 segment types)

a.       News/features anchors - 4 minutes of news each on teleprompter script each person must have one original local story - not from outside sources. Also, all transitions, opening, closing written out on teleprompter - need two box graphics that match two stories per segment. (Boxes go on outside of anchor on screen - screen left for left anchor, screen right for right anchor.)  A VO/SOT is required in each news segment. These should be: 40 at most. May adapt your own VO/SOT for this. You may use the Newswatch box templates for this or make your own in the CG. Stories may be harvested from any source, including CNN Newsource (will discuss in class).

b.      Weather - Start with an anchor reading a 15 second weather story (written by weather anchor), then toss to weather anchor at weather set. Three minutes of weather info and forecasts - your graphics should be put on a PowerPoint presentation for use on weather monitor. You may create your own or adapt a Newswatch template. Must be 16:9 widescreen format.  Avoid using copyrighted media. Make your own or adapt them from the NOAA government website. 

1.    Must include three weather maps minimum (Borrow from NOAA Web site - two USA, one Missouri, is okay.  Think about map days here.) 

2.    Must include four to six information graphics other than maps (create in PowerPoint - last slide is usually extended forecast - 5 to 7 days) 

3.    Must include one satellite photo from NOAA and a live shot of radar from the weather service (on 2nd TV).

4.    Must prepare weather story for anchor, plus opening and closing remarks for segment.

c.       Sports - Start with news anchor reading a story (written by sports anchor) and tossing to sports anchor.

1.  Write a health/fitness story for anchors to read for 15 seconds.  ncludes three minutes of sports including at least one additional VO from a game or series of games. The VO is edited by the sports anchor. May use borrowed footage. This is usually highlights from a game. Check on CNN Newsource for this or make your own.

2.    One story must be original for Evangel sports.  If you can shoot some video to go with this, it would be all the better. 

3.    Must prepare scoreboard on CG and background graphics on PowerPoint to go with stories. PowerPoint should be in 16:9 widescreen format. One slide for each story. Prepare a scoreboard graphic on the CG to go with VO game.

4.    Sports will be anchored at the green screen set.  Do not wear green on day of recording.  

5.    Prepares opener and closer for segment used by anchors at desk.

3. Programs are recorded live without stopping. Cover for errors by ignoring them and going on. If a video clip is not available, you say, "We apologize that our video is not available at the moment, we'll try to play that later in the broadcast." You then go on to the next story. When the clip is ready, re-read the intro with the acknowledgement that you have the video now. Anchor goofs should be corrected and go on. Do not apologize. If the camera you are talking to is the wrong one, look down for a moment at your script and then look up at the other camera. If the teleprompter is going too fast or slow, give a signal to the floor director off camera. You should have a complete written script in front of you that you could read if the teleprompter has problems. Keep track of that as you read so you can go to the paper script anytime.

4. Recording. These group projects will be recorded on EUTV equipment and will be available for copying later.

5. Paper Copies. There is a penalty for a newscast going over or under time more than 5 seconds. The grade penalty will increase the longer the program goes over or under time. Cues will be given by the floor director. You can print off the teleprompter script from Rundown Creator. Bring copies for each person.

a.       Make a copy of the teleprompter script for each news anchor. Each anchor should have a script for him/herself while on camera, even though you are using the teleprompter.

b.      You need a script copy for the director, one for audio, and one to turn in to Dr. Pace. Do not expect to copy or print these at the TV Studio. You may adlib some chatter or tosses, if you know how to do that, otherwise script everything. A toss to weather or sports should include a question that the weather or sports anchor could answer to transition into their segment.

c.       All segments start at the desk and end at the desk. At the end of each segment (except for the final one) there should be a tease (coming up next...) that highlights something in the next segment.

7. Use Rundown Creator to organize and write up your newscast.  Printed rundown sheets are required to give to all crew members. Each group is to complete one combined rundown sheet containing all segments. Everyone must work on this together. These are exported from Rundown Creator and printed from Excel.

8. NO TIME IS GIVEN FOR SCRIPT REHEARSAL, FONT TYPING, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE EARLIER. At 12:30 pm, the scripts, rundowns, and computer preparations are to be finished. The set and lighting will be setup prior to the class period. If you would like to practice your script with teleprompter, that needs to be done during the first 15 - 20 minutes of class time. Sports anchors should not wear green. Everyone should be dressed professionally - which means ties and jackets for men, etc. Think a business interview for comparison. If you don't own a coat - try to borrow one.

9. Make sure rundown sheet is complete and exactly as you want your newscast to be. All efforts will be made to comply with rundown just as you print it.

10. Everyone in the group is responsible for the rundown sheets and all opening/closing remarks, chatter, and teases. Don't be nervous, have fun with this.

11. Groups consist of 3 or 4 students. Students will be assigned a group and position by Dr. Pace. Class periods have been designated for recording. During recording, students who are not in the group will act as production personnel in the studio or control room. These positions will be assigned by Dr. Pace. A director will be designated by Dr. Pace for all shows. Dr. Pace will act as timer for all shows.

12. There are no makeup days for these assignments. If you miss the group session or do not have your materials ready for recording on the day assigned, you receive a zero for the project.

13. Students in each group will fill out a self and group evaluation for this project to be turned in to Dr. Pace by the end the class period immediately following the last group session.

THIS IS A STRESSFUL, BUT EXCITING PROJECT. TRY TO ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE. : )