And Live From L.A. It's...

Live shots are a great way to inform viewers of news that is breaking or is occurring during the time of the newscast. I find live shots that center on breaking news or crime to be the most interesting, because the reporter is introducing new information that I have not been exposed to via other sources. 

This Tuesday's newscast did not include a live shot because we did not have a stream-box operator. Before coming into the newsroom on Tuesday morning, I made sure to look at CNS budget items that started at 6 p.m. Had we had a stream-box operator, I would have liked to send someone to the Make-A-Wish kick-off event at The Grove. Although this event was more of a B-block story, I thought the b-roll for a VO would be extremely visual and the interviews had the potential to be incredibly moving. I also envisioned a reporter package to follow the initial live shot that focused on both the event and the Make-A-Wish club at USC. The potential live shot also had enough banter material for the anchor and the reporter. 

I think live shots are a great way for viewers to stay informed and a perfect way for prodcuers to introduce breaking news.