BROADCAST COMMUNICATION

STUDIO NEWSCAST ASSIGNMENT SHEET

 

1.  Plan your newscast to last 12 minutes (4 in a group) 9 minutes (3 in a group) not including commercials.  Time out your stories and video segments to the second.  Your newscast must have the following:

               

                a. two commercial breaks of 60 seconds each (3 in a group), three commercial breaks (4 in a group)

                b. Each person produces and writes a segment of the newscast: 3 people = 3 segments, 4 people = 4 segments

                    Segments can be news, features, weather, and sports.  (3 in a group would choose three of these)

                c. an opening freeze frame (provided by the professor)

                d. a credit roll at end of program (provided by the professor)

                e. all script read on teleprompter (except for weather – that is a PowerPoint presentation)

                f. prepared font and graphics ahead of time (other than name fonts)

 

2. The responsibilities for each producer are as follows:

                a. News or Features anchors - 3 minutes of news each on teleprompter script

                                Also, all transitions, opening, closing written out. – change stories to broadcast style
                                Features uses human interest stories, not hard news stories
                                One VO video story from CNN

                                One topic box over the shoulder for a reader story

                b. Weather - 3 minutes of weather news and forecasts

                                Must include at least three weather maps minimum (may borrow these from NOAA site)

                                Must include at least three information graphics other than maps

                                Must include one satellite photo from NOAA Web site

                                Must prepare opening and closing remarks for segment
                               All background video graphics are to be put on a PowerPoint presentation

                c. Sports - 3 minutes of sports including one VO from a game or series

                                of games.  The VO is edited by the sports anchor – bring in on VHS or mini-DV

                                Prepares opener and closer for segment.

 

3. Programs are taped live without stopping.  Cover for errors by ignoring them and going on.  If a tape is not available, you say, "We apologize that our videotape 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 tape is ready, re-read the intro with the acknowledgement that you have the tape now.  Anchor goofs should be corrected and go on.  Do not apologize.  If the camera you’re 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.

 

4. These group projects will be recorded on ECTV videotape and will be available for copying later.

 

5. There is a penalty for a newscast going over or under time more than 10 seconds.  The grade penalty will increase the longer the program goes over or under time.  Crew members will not be penalized for shows going under time as long as warnings have been given to the floor director and passed on.

 

6. When preparing the script, make sure to type it up on the computer with these specifications:

                a.  Save it as a text file (.txt).

                b.  Clearly mark each story with anchor name and camera shot.           

                c. Put instructions or cues in parentheses

                d. Mark all camera shots, videotape cues, etc. on teleprompter script

 

Also, you need a script copy to each anchor (who reads the script), one for the director, one for audio, and the file on floppy disk for teleprompter.  Printing is the responsibility of the student.

 

7. Rundown sheets - are required for all crew members segments- combine these all on one sheet for entire newscast.  Please have them filled out completely before the program's scheduled time.  Other copies should be made on copier.

 

8.  NO TIME IS SET UP FOR SCRIPT REHEARSAL, FONT TYPING, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE EARLIER.  At showtime, the scripts, rundowns, and computer preparations are to be finished.  The set and lighting will be setup prior to the class period.  (We will use the Newswatch set.) If you would like to practice your script with teleprompter, come in the night before, or that day and have a workstudy run the script through for you.  To practice weather, come in early and have someone play your map presentation for you. (Weather maps must be done on PowerPoint.)

 

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.