First Impressions Do Count

It's a cliched saying, but first impressions do count when you meet someone new. So make sure you put your best foot forward if you want to maintain that relationship. This idea can apply when a viewer is "meeting" a newscast for the first time. The newscast must show a strong first story to maintain that viewer's attention, which is why the lead story is so important. In T.V. world, ratings and viewership are crucial aspects for a successful news station.

As producers, Emily, Layne and I discuss which story of the day will lead the newscast and will make the best impression on our viewers. There are many aspects that can constitute a story as lead. But since ATVN is a student newscast, we need to consider relevance, timeliness, proximity, and interest. For Thursday, we decided that the Vice Presidential debates story was most newsworthy because the event was happening that night. It affects all registered voters in the U.S. so to make it more local, our reporter Riannon did a story focusing on the "preview/what voters are expecting" here at USC. The package turned out amazing and I think it impressed our viewers because we had great sound from USC's Democrat and Republican organizations as well as interviews from locals.

When deciding on a lead for the day, there are numerous stories to choose from. Some days, it's more obvious which story should be lead, and on other days it isn't. But what makes the producing experience so awesome is that Emily, Layne and I can talk about everything that needs to be considered. And with all our efforts, I know we'll be able to produce a fine show that will capture viewers' attention and hopefully maintain strong relationships that will bring them to choose channel 8.1 every Thursday night at 6 p.m.