TV Reporting Notes

TV Reporting

The Golden Rule

• Write for the ear, not the eye.
• TV writing should be heard, not read.
• Use conversational language.
• Keep sentences short, punchy, and clear.
• Example:
  • ❌ “A conflagration erupted at the downtown precinct.”
  • ✔️ “A fire broke out at the downtown police station.”

Structure of a TV News Script

• Every script needs:
  • Lead-in (Anchor intro)
  • Narration
  • Sound bites (SOTs)
  • Sign-off / Tag
• Tip: Think in 10–15 second chunks.

The Lead-In – Hook the Viewer

• The intro sets the tone.
• Be clear, catchy, and informative.
• Example:
  • ✔️ “It was meant to be a celebration — but it turned into chaos.”
• Avoid jargon or too much detail up front.

Writing to Video

• Broadcast journalists need to write concise, engaging stories that can be read aloud on television or radio.
• Multi-Platform Reporting: Broadcast journalists often report on stories for both television and radio, meaning they need to be comfortable with using different mediums.

Features of Broadcast Journalism

• Video Editing: Broadcast journalists who work in television need to be able to edit video footage and combine it with interviews, music, and other elements for their stories.
• Technical Skills: Broadcast journalists need to be comfortable with using audio and video equipment, as well as editing software.

Writing to Video

• Always write to the pictures.
• Let visuals do the talking.
• Tip: Don’t describe what viewers can already see. Add context, not duplication.
• Example: (Video: Flooded streets)
  • ✔️ “This is what residents woke up to this morning after heavy rain battered the city overnight.”

Use of Natural Sound & SOTs

• NAT Sound adds realism.
• SOTs (Sound On Tape) add authenticity.
• Write around SOTs, don’t repeat them.
• Example:
  • SOT: “We barely had time to grab our kids and run.”
  • Narration: “Families fled with just the clothes on their backs.”

Language Matters

• Use active voice.
• Use present tense for immediacy.
• Be precise, avoid adjectives unless impactful.
• Example:
  • ✔️ “Police arrest the suspect after a tense standoff.”
  • ✖️ “The suspect was eventually apprehended by police.”

Clarity Over Complexity

• No acronyms, jargon, or complex stats.
• Use simple comparisons.
• Example:
  • ✖️ “The cyclone reached wind speeds of $160 km/h$. ”
  • ✔️ “That’s as fast as a speeding train.”

Script & Timing

• $3$ words = $1$ second on screen.
• Write for time, not length.
• $90$-second story = $270$ words.
• Tip: Read your script aloud while timing it.

Final Thoughts

• TV writing = Show + Tell, not just Tell.
• Be conversational.
• Write for visuals.
• Always check facts and timing.
• “If it sounds like writing, rewrite it.” – Elmore Leonard