if i can’t see it or hear it… it’s not news

It’s a strange concept. Let me explain:

News should remain the same, despite the medium. After all, there are certain characteristics that can make a story fit for print, or good for air, or worth sharing on Facebook/Twitter (because hey, admit it. Isn’t that how you get at least 50% of your news nowadays?).

The problem is, sometimes certain news isn’t fit for your medium. This statement is even hard for me to accept, and I’m in the biz! I don’t like to believe that because of the way I deliver the news, a story can or should not be told. Nonetheless, it has happened and is happening to me now.

I won’t release the details of the story yet because I still haven’t gotten all the details. At the same time, I can’t release it even if I did, because no one will talk to me on camera. I’ve gotten almost all the information I need through phone conversations and emails… but when it comes to sitting down with a microphone, everyone has straight-out refused. The majority having done so in a rude manner.

TV relies on attention. Which then means lots of action, emotional soundbites and compelling video. My voice narrating a “he said, she said”? Not bound for success. As a result, not bound for air as well. Some news directors will agree to such a piece; but even I think I would agree with those who would turn it down.

For now, I’m still fighting to try to get people to talk to me with a camera present. Isn’t it suspect that they refuse to talk to me too? Ah. That’s another story.

Enough from me. Let’s make this interactive 😀

self-promotion

My co-worker Ryan asked me if I liked to anchor our noon broadcast. I told him I loved it. Seemingly contradictory, I know, because I requested to be taken off the 12 PM show so that I could go out and report.

The thing I love about anchoring the noon is that it’s wholly yours. So when I’m at the desk, this 27-minute show is my baby. I wrote it, I produced it, I know where each and every thing is, how long it’s supposed to be, and just about how much time I should have left by the time I hit the E block.

So I was on a high today. Got to pursue a few phone interviews, called to get results in from local elections, picked the soundbites I wanted, even ended up having a live phoner in the A block (that fell into place about 15 minutes out from the show, so I’m sure my director wanted to kill me). I got ready with make-up in five minutes and I was back on the desk, sending notes to my 6 PM producer and director.

And below are just a few snippets of how it all fell into place.

… Yes, I realize this is self-promotion, but when you are proud of your product, it’s not as shameful to show small clips, when it won’t even give a glimpse of the entire pictures. I’m not forcing you to watch the entire show. ^_^

For You:

Back-To-Back Robberies

Del. Doctor’s License Suspended

Chuck Campbell’s Wife’s Live Phone Intv