There are lots of reasons to do a stand-up in a TV news package. But longtime WMC-TV reporter and anchor Joyce Peterson said she has noticed a change in the on-cam appearances of reporters over the years. “Traditionally you use a standup in a package if …
Sometimes I think the process of journalism has changed so much since I started it's almost unrecognizable. (Scroll down for some early career memories.) But then I consider how much hasn't changed. Good writing is still good writing, and will be forever. It's still a …
All of us have "bad voice" days when we don't sound as good as we'd like. I'm having one of those days today, in fact, thanks to a rotten cold. But most days, my voice performs pretty well. The same can't be said for a …
What can you do when the network sucks up all the air time on Election Night? Convinced that cut-ins twice an hour just wouldn't cut it, anchor Amy Wood expanded her station's 2012 coverage online using a relatively new video chat tool, Spreecast. The result? "Nine …
I've always been a huge Robert Krulwich fan. His stories on NPR and ABC News break through the standard news blather thanks in part to his memorable delivery. Unlike so many reporters who tend to "announce" their scripts, Krulwich just talks, or at least that's …
Love them or hate them, TV reporters have to do stand-ups. A stand-up can help to establish a reporter's credibility and build a relationship with viewers, giving them a face to put with the voice. The trouble is, too many stand-ups today go overboard with unmotivated …
by Tim Blotz The Associated Press alert that chimed on my newsroom computer a few years ago was short and direct. “Bulletin: Jeane Kirkpatrick has died.” I leapt from my desk and shouted across the room to my 5 p.m. newscast producers, “Folks, we have to add …
What foods should you avoid before going on the air or recording a narration? Some may be obvious (peanut butter, anyone?) but there's a whole list of other "no-nos" in Ann Utterback's latest voice update. 1) Dairy Products. Ann tells her clients to avoid milk and other …
Improving your on-air (or online) delivery takes practice, but what kind of practice? We've shared tips and tricks before, but here's a new idea that might be helpful the next time you prepare to record narration. Try it drunk. Not literally! The Common Language Project at the …
With all the new demands on TV reporters these days, who would have thought that going live over the phone would be a challenge? Turns out that it is, at least for Marissa Pendergrass, a reporter at WHBF in Rock Island, Illinois, who started work …
Forgive me for tooting my own horn, but I'm pleased to announce the publication of the second edition of my book, Advancing the Story: Broadcast Journalism in a Multimedia World, co-authored with Deb Wenger. It's available now from CQ Press or Amazon, and we hope you'll …
The transition from general assignment reporter to multi-platform journalist isn't always easy, but people who've made the switch often say they'd never go back. For Josh Hinkle of KXAN-TV in Austin, Texas, working as a one-man band makes it easier to be creative. "I don’t …
