Broadcast News Glossary Core Terms

Practice flashcards reviewing core broadcast journalism terminology, including story formats, staff roles, and attribution levels.

A-Block

The first segment of a newscast, running from the open through the first commercial break, which typically carries the day's top, most newsworthy stories.

Anchor

The on-air host who presents the newscast from the studio, reading readers and VOs and introducing packages and live shots.

Assignment Editor

The newsroom staffer who monitors scanners, tips, and the day's events, and assigns reporters and crews to cover stories.

B-Roll

Raw, unedited supplemental video used to cover narration in a story, as opposed to the main interview or event footage.

Chyron / Lower Third

The text graphic at the bottom of the screen identifying a speaker's name and title, or labeling a story.

Cutaway

A brief shot away from the main subject — a reaction shot or different angle — used to smooth over an edit within an interview.

Deep Background

An attribution level in which a source's information can be used in a story with no attribution at all, not even a generic description.

DMA (Designated Market Area)

A Nielsen-defined television market consisting of a group of counties where local stations capture most of the measurable viewing. There are 210 DMAs covering the U.S.

Executive Producer

Oversees the content and consistency of all of a station's newscasts across the broadcast day.

General Manager

The top executive at a station, overseeing the entire operation — not just the newsroom.

Lead Story

The first, and typically most prominent, story in a newscast or news block.

Live Shot

A report delivered in real time by a reporter from a location outside the studio.

Look Live

A package whose reporter intro and/or tag was recorded ahead of time but is formatted to appear live during the newscast.

MMJ (Multimedia Journalist)

A journalist who shoots, writes, and edits their own stories, often working alone — common at smaller-market stations.

Nat Sound (Natural Sound)

Ambient sound recorded at the scene — traffic, crowd noise, sirens — used in a package to add realism.

News Director

Runs the newsroom day to day: hiring, editorial direction, and journalistic standards.

Off the Record

An attribution level in which a source's information cannot be published or used in a story at all — it may only guide further reporting.

On Background

An attribution level in which a reporter can use a source's information but cannot name them — only describe them generically, as agreed in advance (e.g., "a city official").

On the Record

The default attribution level: everything a source says can be quoted and attributed to them by name and title.

Outcue

The last few words of a soundbite, noted in a script so producers, directors, and editors know exactly when it ends.

Package (PKG)

A fully produced, reporter-narrated story with a scripted track, multiple soundbites, and natural sound breaks.

Photographer / Videographer?

Shoots video in the field, often alongside a reporter (sometimes called a "shooter").

Producer

Builds the rundown for a single newscast — story order, timing, and scripts.

Reader (RDR)?

A story the anchor reads entirely on camera, with no supporting video. Used for brief or breaking information.

Reporter

A journalist who gathers information, writes, and delivers stories, typically reporting from the field rather than the studio.

Rundown

The producer's ordered list of every story and segment in a newscast, with assigned times and formats.

Slug

The short internal name given to a story, used to identify it consistently in scripts, rundowns, and video files.

SOT (Sound On Tape)

A soundbite — a recorded clip of someone speaking, used within a VO/SOT or package.

Stand-Up

A segment where a reporter appears on camera, live or recorded, to deliver part of a package's narration.

TRT

Total Running Time: The exact length of a story, soundbite, or full newscast segment.

VO (Voice-Over)

The anchor reads a script live while video plays underneath — no soundbite is included.

VO/SOT

The anchor reads over video, a soundbite (SOT) plays, then the anchor returns live to close or move to the next story.