When Neighbors Call Their Favorite TV Station

Recently my one-year term as head of public relations in Iowa for Toastmasters International ended. It was an interesting year, including providing me with some perspective of the "other side" of news - the customer's side. It was an effective lesson of just how much demand there can be for "hyper-local" news, and prompted the thougth that maybe it's time for newsrooms to think about those "filters" you have for sorting out "real" news - or, at least, how you deal with the "rejects."

As a local TV station, you own some very valuable property. At a time when stations are fighting to find a local identity and reinforce a "neighborhood coverage" image, dozens of community organizations are begging for your attention. Toastmasters is a self-help non-profit group designed to help members become speakers and leaders. I know first-hand that there are some great stories to be told - stories of sucess and encouragement (and all from people who are trained communicators who'd give a great interview).

And there are stories of similar interest in such organizations as Kiwanis, Optimists, the Jaycees, and many others. Each would be thrilled to catch your attention.  Good stories. Positive stories. Local stories about your neighbors. Stories about local teams, churches, service organizations, and accomplished individuals are all part of the glue that holds a community together. Consider that while urban newspapers struggle, the typical community or neighborhood weekly thrives, because it fills a need not being served elsewhere.  Of course, you're not going to have time to run many of these little stories on the air. But just give each a moment of consideration - you may just have a gem hidden under the surface. And it's certainly fodder for your web site. 

In my volunteer job for the past year, many of my calls and emails to news outlets were ignored. Oh, heck. Let's be honest. Nearly ALL of my calls and emails were ignored. And certainly for every one of mine, there were dozens of others who were equally treated with apparent disdain. For every one of those ignored requests for attention, there were many people in left in the wake grumbling about a perceived arrogance and lack of caring from that TV station or newspaper.

At a time when it's vital to embrace and serve your community, are you accidently sending messages that you have no interest in doing so? Don't overlook those opportunities to connect with the interests of your audience that happen to drop in your lap. Should you decide there really is no airtime or web site space that day, then at least thank the person who submits the story, and say, "Maybe next time."  And mean it.

- Mike Anderson

 

 

 

Reporter, a.k.a. Multi-media Information Gatherer and Distributor

What do we call people who report the news these days?  I find it amusing that the industry is struggling to come up with new names for reporters.  Are they VJ's?  Backpack journalists?  Multi-media journalists?  Multi-platform reporters?  Perhaps you prefer the old-fashioned "one-man band" name.

Since when does a change in technology dictate finding a new name for yourself?  Musicians didn't become digital recording artists when they started putting their songs on iTunes.  Hearst recently announced that their reporters were all being trained to create and distribute material in all sorts of places - but they were sticking to the "reporter" name.  Good call.  In the newspaper world, photographers who grew up shooting film now shoot digital still pictures and take video, too.  So are they photographers or videographers?  Or digital jounalists? 

One thing is certain -- for the readers/users/viewers who receive information, it really doesn't matter what we call ourselves.  This new identity crisis of ours is just a reflection of the industry's temporary uneasiness with technology change. A reporter who filed a story by telegraph 100 years ago was still reporting. Yes, it's cool and it requires some new skills, but does sending a story using a Droid phone really require a title change?   

- John Altenbern

Covering News with Social Media

Facebook and Twitter certainly aren't new. But using them as a primary source to cover high interest, developing news certainly is to traditional broadcasters. I've seen it happen a few times lately with big court cases. One, in particular, stood out. In Reno, James Biela was on trial for the kidnapping, sexual assault and murder of college student Brianna Denison. The case had extremely high interest not only locally, but regionally and nationally. It was the event everyone was talking about.

All stations were relying on pool video so KTVN needed another way to serve their viewers and stand apart from their competition. So they made a commitment to keep their viewers informed every minute of every day the trial was on. That's not something you can do over the air in a traditional format.

Their reporter Tweeted and posted on Facebook from the trial every single day, often 10 - 20 times an hour for nearly three weeks. His posts gave people insight into jury selection, the judge's comments, the judicial process, and the evidence. He was able to share the comments, reaction in the courtroom, detailed descriptions of the defendant and even photos throughout the trial. He was also able to immediately answer people's questions about what was going on when they tweeted back or posted on Facebook.

As one Facebook follower said after the verdict was read, "Fantastically thorough! Thank you. It felt as though we were in the courtroom for the whole thing."

That was the goal and it paid off for Channel 2 News if the number of Facebook followers is any indication. The challenge now for KTVN and every station... how to keep all those fans and followers that were hungry for news about a specific case active and engaged with the product even when there is not big, breaking news. And further, how to get them to rely on your news broadcasts as much as they relied on your social network reports.

It's a whole new chapter in your marketing plan. CJ&N can help you write it!

 - Jill Johnson

 

Clean Delivery Isn't Enough

In my many years of coaching, too many anchors have taken any discussion about being passionate and descriptive in delivery to mean that they have carte blanche to say what they want. But I wasn't talking about crosstalk! (Especially talk that doesn't serve the viewer.) Rather, I was talking about bringing more expression and passion to the way they read a story.

Smooth, clean delivery - no mistakes, but no expression and no context - is just not enough. Viewers want and need expression and intonation that support the words, because that's what helps them hear and understand stories. It's the look on a reporter's face and the tone in their voice that helps viewers hear how urgent a fire is. It's good communication. To achieve that, it comes down to listening... truly listening.

Why does it always come down to listening? Reporters and anchors can make their delivery a lot more real by simply tuning in to - and really hearing -- the content that precedes and follows theirs. Like they do during breaking news.

Listening brings appropriate context and connection with the story. The delivery then, is descriptive and passionate. And being descriptive and passionate is compelling television.

-Laura Hernandez

Local TV: A Common Currency

Like almost everyone, I've been watching those dramatic Olympic stories play out on TV. 

What's happening in Vancouver has become the "common currency" of a lot of conversations.  Did you see those snowboarders?  Is the Russian ice skater a sorehead?  Did you see that skier fall as he crossed the finish line? 

Much of America is watching NBC each night, according to Nielsen.  You might say, "Well, this is the Olympics - what do you expect?"  Ratings will likely disappear when the games are over.  But television networks - and television in general - still have the power to command a mass audience with the right programming.

It's a fact that seems often overlooked in the discussion of the new media landscape.  Much of our industry's attention seems to be directed towards the "long tail" - those incremental increases possible by satisfying the needs of a niche audience.  There certainly can be a business in becoming a news source for a neighborhood, for example, or a particular demographic like young mom's or retirees. 

But some local television newscasts are still that valued place where people come to see what's going on in their area, or to learn when the next storm is expected.  Real substitutes are few.  With the right combination of content, personalities and unique style, local television stations can command the attention of a very diverse and large audience in a geographic area. 

Research shows us that more people each day watch local newscasts than download a video or visit one of a million websites. Sure, there's business in niche websites and narrow demographic targeting, and we certainly face more competition than ever before.  But compelling and relevant stories that appeal to our unique geographic audiences never go out of style. 

Maybe we should think less about chasing every stray set of eyeballs and more on how to make local television less boring and predictable.  Your station can become the "common currency" in your market.  You can win the gold if you're willing to make the commitment. 

- John Altenbern

Casting Characters

In his blogs on Why Local Newscasts Are Getting Easier to Ignore, Bruce Northcott talks about how there are no characters who deliver the news. The truth is, there aren't many Bill Bonds out there any more, and those people that do have something to say probably have their own cable shows. There are some who are willing to take chances, but they don't always have something interesting to say.

There are few people who can and do know when to color outside the lines. If that person exists in your newsroom, it's important to give him/her license to do it. And you must have a producer, director and production team on board to support it. If the producer is yelling "wrap, wrap, wrap!!!" in the IFB of someone trying to make a point, the likelihood of that being a real moment is greatly diminished.

And this is where life isn't fair... just because you give one anchor the license to be a greater voice, doesn't mean you have to give that freedom to everyone. That's how newscasts end up with those comments after stories that are trite, or cross talks that are inside and "optional," because they're about the anchors and not about the issues or the stories. Not everyone can pull it off.

If I were casting the players for a station, there would be at least one character - a leader with a voice. (Ideally, you'd have one for each daypart.) And that leader would be smart - smart enough to know when to push the format aside and have something to say.

- Laura Hernandez

Local News and the Populist Uprising

Are you part of the populist uprising?

If you haven't noticed, there's a populist uprising going on in the country.  People are mad. They don't think government works for them and those fat cats down at the bank who took all that taxpayer money are now denying loans while writing themselves obscene bonus checks. 

In this environment, local television news should hardly be sitting on the sidelines.  In Chicago, long-time WBBM reporter Jay Levine reported on a wealthy suburb's plan to renovate its high school - to the tune of $174 million dollars.  As Levine pointed out, that's more money than President Obama originally sent to Haiti for earthquake relief! 

Today, the critic's chorus in Chicago is taking Levine and WBBM to task.  Levine, they say, is "pontificating."  He's unfairly characterizing the proposed underground parking at the high school as "heated."  (Hey, it's 10 degrees on a Chicago parking lot this morning - underground is 50.  That IS heated!)  His report, say the critics, may have even led voters to defeat the bond issue (62% of almost 13,000 voters rejected it) for school renovation.
Hogwash!

At a time when local television news better get off its duff if it wants to survive, we need more reporting like Levine's.  The usual "straight down the middle," bland, vanilla reporting is going to be lost in the noise.  Why do we want to produce material that is so easy to ignore? 

If you live in South Chicago and your kid's school is a dump, you're sitting on the couch asking the same questions Levine is raising about the gold-plated renovation.  Why shouldn't television news have an attitude?  Your viewers certainly do.  And they might actually appreciate - and not turn off - a newscast that takes a risk or two. 

- John Altenbern