Early morning today!

Since producers are on vacation/getting married, they’ve been doing some shifting, and I ended up working with just Chris Ludlow, the morning Executive Producer.

He gave me quite a few stories to write. I also got to do another fun thing: Trivia!

In the 5am newscast, Marcus gives a trivia question to be answered. Almost instantly, people start calling into our call-in number. The phones start ringing off the hook – and my job is to answer them.

There isn’t much time for conversation with the trivia-goers, so all I said was “Do you have the answer?”

Surprisingly, I got about seven wrong answers before hearing the right one. Of course, the answers continued to come in, but I just picked up the phone, said “Thanks, we have the answer,” and hang up.

It was a lot of fun. Especially for 5:30am.

Still working on that producing – more to come!

Monday through Wednesday

This one’s my fault – I didn’t write in my internship log soon enough.

I was in for the nightside shift every night, so I focused a lot on producing and writing.

My goal for the internship is to start producing a lot more stories for the shows – and perhaps even produce my own segment.

I’ve almost already done this in the morning show and part of the 5pm, so I don’t anticipate this being a huge obstacle.

The more writing experience I can get, the more I’ll be ready for a job in the future!

I also put together a fake 30-minute show on our broadcasting system ENPS. This can be pretty tricky to do, especially when you’re not focusing on one day with that day’s reporters and that day’s stories.

More of my own practice segments and newscasts are to come!

I was photography today, but I did more in-house stuff.

KCCI News Director Dave Busiek and Kevin Cooney looked at the stories Addison and I had edited the night before. It’s amazing how much is learned from listening to Dave for five minutes (he’s been a news director for a long time).

For my story about Angie’s Cantina, I could have used several more interviews, and Dave suggested I set up the interview in a more interesting location (rather than up against a wall). All good points. I could have used more B-roll, too.

Hopefully more opportunities arise to work with Dave and Kevin on making my stories better.

Later, I worked with Jon Lemons (a recent ISU grad and tape editor for KCCI) to learn more tape-to-tape editing. I’m starting to get the hang of it – I just need a little bit more practice and then I can work on speed increase.

Linear, or tape-to-tape, editing is what has been used until computers hit the editing scene a few years ago. It’s basically like an advanced dubbing rack – you can pick time codes, in points, and out points. And that’s it. As old as it may seem, the basics of video storytelling and editing are the same – so my practice on Final Cut Pro and Premiere does, in fact, pay off when I edit on linear systems.

I’m done for the week. I may go film a story about the Girl Scout Camp Lakota’s nostalgic closing ceremony on Friday night and see if anything good comes of that.

Thanks for reading!

Wednesday, May 19

Producing again today – but I didn’t do a whole lot with that.

Instead, Addison and I decided to go shoot a package about Angie’s Cantina, a newly renovated restaurant in Campustown Ames.

We interviewed the owner and shot B-roll, followed by several hours of editing. Addison edited and narrated the Iowa Thunder women’s football team story we shot last weekend, and I edited and narrated the story about the Cantina.

I really enjoy enterprising and writing my own stories, though it’s sometimes frustrating coming up with all the resources (and dealing with the problems) that I encounter while shooting and editing on my own.

I’ll try to do more with field tape that is shot while reporters are out doing stories by editing it and narrating it a day later on my own.

I also did quite a bit of story idea work today, made some contacts, and planned for the coming weekend.

Tuesday, May 18

Today was the first day being on the Assignment Editor/Executive Producer track.

I came in at 8am (1.5 hours earlier than normal) and watched Tom Torpy, the AE, do his job. He acts as the “hub” of the news room; taking in press releases, making contacts outside of the newsroom.

He also acts as the reporter/photog scheduler. There is a board with each reporter, photographer, his or her assignment for the day, and when that assignment is due.

It seems like it would require having connections with business owners and public officials to make this job run smoothly. From what I overhear, it sounds like the majority of people he calls already know or know of him, which helps reduce the amount of time and effort it takes to get information for a story.

I talked with Heidi G, the executive producer. She acts as the go-to for reporters and producers when they need help with various things. She’s also in charge of making sure shows are “advertising” features like the “Day in the Life” special we’ve been doing.

Definitely an interesting position. It seems like it would take a few years as a producer to handle the responsibilities of the executive producer well.

Monday, May 17

I was on the reporting track again today. I went out with Todd Magel who was doing the story on Governor Culver’s little traffic stop. I learned some lessons regarding talking to stubborn sources and making the most you can out of what may be a crappy situation

Sunday, May 16

The Midnight Shift!

I came in at midnight to help produce the 6-8am Sunday morning show. There are no other local stations doing a news show at this time, so it was not as fast-paced and news filled.

I learned that quite a few of the things are pre-recorded (including “Newsmaker” series interviews by Kevin Cooney and several Mollie Cooney features). I mean, what else can you do with no reporter at 2am?

I got to write a few stories to accompany VOs and SOTs, and I learned how to navigate the CBS Newspath and CNN Oasis online video servers. Basically, content can be downloaded to a tape from a satellite. All we have to do is set up a playlist through the online interface. Then, a tape editor will find the clips requested by the producer and put them onto a format that is used by the tape operator during the newscast.

I got to “booth,” which entails sitting in the control room with a headset and communicating with people like the show director, anchors through IFB, and master control. I had master control set up different skycam shots, and I inserted the skycam shot commands into the rundown for the show.

It’s amazing to see how quickly graphic and video changes can be made through the ENPS rundown – if I wanted to change a lower third or a skycam input, all I’d have to do is change it in ENPS and the switcher would pull up the updated version when it came in the rundown. This is something that would require a full edit-resave-transfer in an older newsroom (not to mention a crew member to do so).

I hope to do more morning shifts (probably during the week), so I’ll keep you updated as they come.

Thursday was Internet day. I hung out with Tad, the Internet specialist (he has an official name which escapes me right now). Tad spends all day at the systems updating the web with stories.

As a web developer, I took a lot of interest in what was involved with updating the KCCI website. I was (kind of) surprised to find out that everything is managed with a CMS provided by Hearst, and not many design-oriented options are available. The main publishing company takes care of all the devel0pment, and the individual station takes care of adding the content.

I don’t want to reveal too many trade secrets, but KCCI is, on average, the leading station in the group of 27 Hearst broadcast stations for Internet hits and page views. Tad does a great job constantly updating, and it makes KCCI a powerful online news source.

I got to publish a couple stories from the AP Wire, so that was cool.

End of the week – it was a great first week!

Wednesday, May 12

Today, I learned the most I’ve learned so far. I was on the photography track, so I went out with Glen and Steve Karlin to get a VOSOT and a package

Fred, CEO, Locally Grown Clothing Company

We started by visiting the radio station of the lady whose flag allegedly got taken down and cut up. Her station CEO presented her with a new flag and we filmed that; it was a basic shoot.

We then went to talk to some guys who had just launched a clothing company promoting locally-produced goods. Steve interviewed the CEO and the President of the company in a market before visiting a couple other Des Moines locations selling the clothing line.

Steve did a standup, a tease for a bump, and a whip (which I’ll explain later). We got back to the station around 1pm, and I watched Glen and Steve put together the story, from start to finish.

The great thing about today was seeing a package made from start to finish and really observing how a reporter like Steve Karlin puts together his stories.

Interviewing Fred

Just the day before (Tuesday), Steve had put together package about a 100 year old woman in a care center who played the drum for the residents. That story really exemplifies his style: short, sweet cuts that let the video and people in the video tell the story.

You don’t see very much of Steve’s face because he lets Edna (the drummer) tell the story. And telling the story in this case doesn’t mean her talking the whole time on camera – her drum-playing and reactions help give the viewer a sense of what is going on.

Steve told me that he makes all his stories in this short, attention-grabbing manner – whether it be a murder, a soft feature, or any story that could have potentially been a boring grab-and-go story. Glen the photographer shot A LOT of t-shirt B-roll.

He also told me rules for his own standups (when and where they’re used in the story). Most importantly (to me, at least), I noticed how Steve was planning his package from the moment he started the interview.

He told me (and I’ve experienced this, too) how you can “catch” sound bytes as they’re said during the interview – so when someone says something that sounds like it could go into the story well, it’ll be noted in Steve’s head and he’ll later write it down and use it in the story.

Next Gen News

Filming a Whip

I saw what Heart Corporation has called Next Generation News in action today. Reporters are asked to create “whips,” or short, less than 30 second clips they can send to the newsroom on their BlackBerry phones and get on the web. They basically act as a tease to watch the newscast later that night. Steve made one where he showed the clothing stand and spoke about how Iowans are latching onto a new trend and expressing themselves in a movement for locally-grown goods.

He also sent a few photos with his phone (they have a pretty decent photo quality).

This process is what I assume to be an effort to get news out there more quickly. The KCCI website is the most visited website of the entire group of Hearst broadcast stations, with the Boston market coming in at a close second. If reporters can send in pictures and whips, in addition to having a staff member update the web all day, it keeps viewers engaged and creates a whole new medium for news interaction.

Why We Do What We Do

Steve also talked to me about why we, as journalists, do what we do. Putting reasons like the “fourth estate” and informing the public aside, it really comes down to the fact: we love what we do. If you have a job where you make a ton of money but have to sit in an office building all day, eagerly anticipating the day you retire – what’s the point?

Today reaffirmed my decision to be a journalist: I get to utilize my creative abilities with writing and photography while visiting interesting people and learning new things everyday. Today was a good day.

Tuesday, May 11

Tuesday was cool! The story idea I suggested (courtesy of my mom) made it as the 6pm lead: How do suspended drivers get their licenses back? Angie Hunt from the Ames Livelink (who also teaches at the Greenlee School at ISU) covered the story. It was pretty cool to think that the idea I proposed became a news story. It was also interesting to see how the producer of the 6pm shaped the newscast to make that story – which would be of lesser importance if there were something more exciting – the lead story.

I was in the “producer” track, so I asked around to see if any producers needed my help. Megan E., the 5pm producer, had me sit down next to her while she put together the 5pm. Structuring the show is much more complex than structuring a show at ISU. The system used is called ENPS and was developed by the AP. It is MUCH easier to use and more functional than EZNews, the software used at ISU. Each block is split into individual segments. For example, a package is surrounded by a “lead” (the intro) and a “tag” (the outro), and makes up one segment. The anchors have built-in anchor cues, and the software translates everything to both the teleprompter and to the closed captioning system.

The graphics are pretty interesting as well: at ISU, we have to make our own graphics in Photoshop using a template which is stored on a server or held on a flash drive. With ENPS, a template is already available within the program. The only thing the reporter or producer has to do is type the textual information, and the CG lower third is produced and pulled up during the newscast. This saves time and effort but probably has eliminated some positions in the newsroom. This is an example, I’ve learned, of how news stations are cutting costs.

I sat next to Megan during the 5pm in the control room. It went as expected; she was able to communicate with the reporter in a live shot and with all other members of the crew through the intercom system. Stories had to be cut to keep time (the 6:30pm CBS Evening News is on immediately after the 5pm newscast ends), and the wrong show was loaded in the very first block (so there were some visual errors).

It was great learning about producing by watching. I hope to learn more by actually getting my hands dirty by writing some stories. I come in at midnight this Sunday to help produce the 5-7am newscast that morning, so hopefully I’ll get a chance to do some real work!

Monday, May 10

Today was my first day at KCCI as a news intern. I started at 9:30am sitting in a news meeting, where everyone present is expected to give a story idea. This is where the assignment editor, reporters, news directors, and some photographers plan their day and who is going to shoot what.

I hung around the newsroom for a while until I went out with Amanda Lewis and photographer Glenn. We went to dig up more facts on the recent Ankeny crash where two children were killed. We started by looking up a prior case involving one of the drivers at the Courthouse. We then went to the house listed on the driver’s license, and talked to his ex-girlfriend. Driving to Ankeny, we visited the courthouse there and spoke to an officer regarding the case. Finally, we talked to a woman in the third car involved in the accident. We got video/sound from both the police officer and the woman.

By this time, it was after 3pm and the story had to be on air by the 5pm newscast. It was crunch time, so Amanda worked on writing the story and logging tape, and Glenn cut the VO and SOTs for the newscast. The story went on as a package for the 5pm wrapped by Amanda sitting on set. She changed it a little bit and used just VOs and SOTs for the 6pm.

Later that night, Todd Magel used the footage when he gave an update to the story on the 10pm. It was interesting to see how much 10 minutes of simple, well-shot interview footage and B-roll can be used on three different newscasts in different ways.

I definitely learned methods of calling and contacting people, as well as asking for information, by listening to Amanda.  I also learned how to handle when someone tells you something in an interview but then is afraid you’ll use it in the story. Technically, you can use anything that is said to you (ethically) as long as they don’t specify that the information is off-the-record beforehand. However, it is good to keep good relationships with your contacts and agree to their wishes (as long as it doesn’t have a massive impact on the story).

I’m sure I have much to learn as this was only the first day, but I look forward to what is to come!

Although I’ve secured a great internship at KCCI-TV this summer in Des Moines, I’ll share with you what ended up (probably) causing the demise of my possible internship with CBS in New York:

I was, at random, asked three different questions by the coordinator:

1. Who is the U.S. Secretary of the State?
2. Describe President Obama’s family
3. Who is the anchor of the CBS Evening News?

Apparently, I was spacing off during the transition between administrations and never noticed that Hillary Clinton had become the U.S. Secretary of State. And during that transition, I didn’t catch the names of Obama’s daughters, Sasha and Malia. Finally, in a final blow to my self-confidence, I didn’t know (or remember, at least) that Katie Couric was the anchor of the CBS Evening News.

Seriously?!? How does someone not know the answers to those three simple questions.

The Lesson to be Learned: No matter where you’re applying, make sure you’ve got a solid grip on who is running our country and what the current political issues are. More importantly, make sure you know the names of the people running the business for which you’re applying.

I’m really looking forward to KCCI this summer, but maybe after I brush up on my U.S. political knowledge (and watch prime time CBS television), I’ll get another shot at being a CBS news intern.

I’ll leave you with a Katie Couric clip discussing unpaid internships (which inspired be to write this post). Enjoy.

Although there has been a trend toward using journalists who can report, shoot and edit, the inevitable result is reduced quality and accuracy.

The average viewer might not notice immediately–or even care–but those of us who practice the craft will see the further degradation at all levels.

When local stations and networks choose cost savings at the expense of good journalism, we all suffer.

What does this mean for me?

Should I stop working on my writing, editing, production, and web skills to focus on one area? If so, will I become a better journalist – or will I even have a job?

Furthermore, is this a message our school should be sending? Can we as students be taught to perform in multiple areas of journalism, or are we expected to perform in a “degraded” manner when we graduate just because we’re gaining multiple skills?

Can I be a good writer, a good editor, and a good web developer? Or am I limited by my school to be either mediocre in many areas or good in one area?

Let me know your thoughts.

In a dictionary, you’ll find that “media” is a plural form of the noun “medium.” Standard use of the word “media” would require a matching plural verb. As the Merriam-Webster online dictionary states that the word is the plural form of “medium.”

But why do you hear people saying, “The media is ruining this country,” or, “The media is reporting a shooting”? I’ve noticed this a number of times. The Iowa State Daily recently published a special article called “The Top Ten News Stories that Changed Our Lives.” They referred to the media as a singular term multiple times. Author Dan Brown refers to media as a singular term in both The DaVinci Code and Angels & Demons. I always get the temptation to refer to the news media as a singular unit – the media. So what is right?

Patricia T. O’Conner (who began at the Des Moines Register) and Stewart Kellerman met as editors at the New York Times and keep a blog about grammar. They discuss how “plurals with Latinate endings take a beating in English, and tend to become Anglicized over time.” Apparently the words “data“, “agenda,” “opera,” and “insignia” are the same way! O’Conner and Kellerman predict that the word will eventually evolve and become a singular term, like “data.”

My verdict: Stick to the plural form for academic, professional, and preferably journalistic writing. Although the word will be fine to use as a singular term in speech, I think it’s best to play it safe for the time being and use the word as a plural term. Until someone proves me wrong, that’s what I’ll be doing!