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Creating TV newscasts from home

The coronavirus outbreak has flipped many people’s lives upside down. Most employees who used to work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. are now stuck at home, either completing work online or waiting for this pandemic to end. Obviously, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and those in the food industry are considered “essential” workers because people need access to these things to survive. What some may not realize is that journalists are also essential workers, because the communication of newsworthy events is needed now more than ever to keep people safe. Journalists are the ones keeping the public in on the loop that is the coronavirus. They are working around the clock to report COVID-19 cases, and what political leaders are saying to their local communities to keep them safe. Journalists out in the field and in press conferences, like the one’s with Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, are maintaining their distance from interview subjects and other reporters. Many are strictly staying six feet a

Coronavirus, Team Coverage & Student Journalism

News stories are important. I bet you already knew that. News articles, packages and programming provide the public with important information, but often times too much information can be overwhelming. Many stories may fall under the same umbrella and would be impossible to cover completely without a little assistance. “Team coverage,” you’ve heard the term before. News outlets don’t just use it because it sounds flashy, it has a purpose. Team coverage is when a unit of journalists cover the same topic but in a variety of ways, because the topic at hand may be really broad and hard for news consumers to take in all at once. In the midst of the coronavirus, many stations are using team coverage to help viewers get a full grasp of the situation. One reporter may visit a local hospital to speak with medical professionals, while another reporter meets with the city or state government to see what steps are being taken to prevent the spread of the disease. A journalist may visit

In a pinch? Use your smartphone to report

You’re a journalist. You’re out in the field, not at the news station, without a camera. You also don’t have a tripod, or any other fancy bells and whistles typically used to record a news story. What do you do? Well, you don’t have to quit your TV news job to become a print journalist, you can actually create your story with something you already have; a smartphone. Smartphones can record great video. Apple devices can record in high definition, meaning that today’s smartphones are up to the standard of many broadcast television news stations. So, why not use them? A few weeks ago, I was in a pinch. I had one hour to grab an interview and some broll for a news package I needed to create, as well as get a quick interview that my station, TROY TrojanVision News, could play on the air (as a VO/SOT). I didn’t have a broadcast camera on hand, and figured I’d use my iPhone. For scenarios like this one, I find it useful to have a mobile journalism backpack. In this backpac

6 ways journalists can find story ideas

You don’t have to work in the business long to know that slow news days exist. They defiantly do, but just because your list of potential stories is slim doesn’t mean there aren’t any in your community. You just have to know where to look, who to contact and get creative. 1. Ask around This may sound like commonsense but hear me out. Your friends, family and the general public could lead you to your next big story. These people can provide you with more eyes and ears in the community and may have run across something interesting while they were out and about. Ask your loved ones for potential stories. Crowdsource on your social media pages to get the public in on the action. These people know of organizations and scenarios that have affected them, so utilize them well. 2. Be observant Driving down the road? Look for road closures or things that appear out of the ordinary, then ask yourself “why?” Keep your eyes peeled at all times. You never know when you may stumbl

Localize it: coronavirus in a college town

Like I have said before, each national story tends to have a local impact. As journalists it is important to understand that these large breaking news stories ultimately trickle down and affect our communities. The last time I “localized” the coronavirus, I spoke about the significance of the disease and what precautions Troy University was putting in place to prevent its spread. At that time, the thought of the virus popping up in our small, rural college town was unthinkable for some. On Wednesday, as students were brewing their morning coffee or working on assignments from home, the Troy Messenger broke the news that a confirmed case of COVID-19 had made its way into Pike County. The unthinkable, for some, had just became a reality. Right now, the public has been encouraged to continue practicing social distancing. People should only leave their home for necessities. When leaving your home, you should leave a six-foot distance between yourself and others. For T

Localize it: coronavirus in a college county

The last time I “localized” the coronavirus , I spoke about the significance of the disease and what precautions Troy University was putting in place to prevent its spread. At that time, the thought of the virus popping up in our small, rural college town was unthinkable for some. On Wednesday, as students were brewing their morning coffee or working on assignments from home, the Troy Messenger broke the news that a confirmed case of COVID-19 had made its way into Pike County. The unthinkable, for some, had just became a reality. Troy Mayor Jason Reeves encouraged the community to be aware of their surroundings. “As we’ve been saying all along this is a serious situation,” he told the Troy Messenger. “We need to continue to be very careful in what we do and how we do it.” Right now, the public has been encouraged to continue practicing social distancing. People should only leave their home for necessities. When leaving your home, you should leave a six-foot d