WHAT MAKES A GOOD TV NEWS STORY?
TV news stories come in many shapes and sizes, from interview segments to 15-second voice-overs that serve as visual headlines. In this issue of The Feed, we focus on newscast stories that feature a reporter track, interview “sound bites,” and visuals. These stories typically focus on one key concept and are on average 70 seconds long, with sound bites that last 10 to 15 seconds or less. Visuals and B-roll Images for TV news stories come from video shot by TV photographers, video supplied by other stations, or video supplied by third parties. How quickly and easily reporters can get images is a key factor in determining whether a story is covered. Although television reporters and photographers generally prefer shooting their own video, you can facilitate coverage by providing video (B-roll) that newsroom crews can’t easily film on short notice, such as remote wildlife or polluted sites. B-roll provides broadcasters with images they can edit into a TV segment with a reporter narration
