We're Different, Yeah We're Different
Apparently our generation is bored with the news.
It's not just a college thing. We just aren't entertained and informed by traditional news broadcasts the way our parents were. (It's not personal Tom Brokaw--we still think you're a legend.)
Our attention spans are shorter and we demand more movement and change in our television experience. (I mean, how else would Michael Bay's films be so successful?)
As the next generation of television news producers, it's up to us to adapt. It's time our news broadcasts caught onto the trend.
At ATVN we're always trying to see what we can do to spice up our shows. The traditional anchor desk model is just... well, boring. The real objective in designing the show is to give the viewer as many different looks as we can in a 30 minute broadcast.
There are several "creative extras" in your arsenal that can accomplish this task:
- LIVE SHOT: It's in all-caps so you know it's "kind of a big deal." And honestly in television news, it's the biggest deal. Nothing makes a news broadcast come to life like taking the viewer LIVE (see how exciting it sounds?) to an event. Not only does your network look super legit, but your coverage is that much more comprehensive!
- Monitors: The desk look gets old pretty quickly. Switch things up with an anchor standing at a monitor. And as if that fresh new look isn't enough, most monitors are responsive "smart boards," allowing you to swipe, draw and click all with the flick of a finger. (Show your dad that this technology actually exists outside of Star Trek.)
- LIVE Guests: There's that special LIVE word again. Even if you're not in the industry, you probably know that most of the show (VOs, SOTs, etc.) is made well ahead of the show. Interviews are pre-recorded and select sound-bites and video clips are chosen to tell a specific story. But that all changes when a live guest sits down on that studio couch. We have no idea what our guest will say. It's an exciting (and nerve-wracking) experience for the control room, but [most of the time] you come away with a richer broadcast (and if you're lucky, a couple great bloopers).
- Use the Newsroom: If you're not involved in the broadcast industry, you've probably never seen the inside of a newsroom. Most viewers have no idea what it looks like behind the scenes. At Annenberg TV News, we're #blessed with a video wall, TV halo and professional control room. Let the viewer peek inside the inner workings of the show with a shot that shows the crazy environment those of us in the industry experience every day.
