Thou Must Copy Edit
Whether it’s for the broadcast or web, copy editing is a major aspect of ATVN that shouldn't be overlooked. I admit, sometimes when I’m overwhelmed and feel like I have a million things to do, copy editing is the least of my priorities. However, it’s a crucial part of the show and website that definitely deserves more attention. As a journalism major, it is especially important to have proper copy editing and writing skills.
As web teammate, I must remember to review the ATVN Web Handbook, my personal bible in the newsroom. Even as a journalism major, I tend to forget specifics when it comes to AP Style. Thankfully, there are also plenty of AP Stylebooks hanging around the newsroom for me to use as a resource.
As the video teammate or lead producer, it’s vital to constantly keep an eye out and copy edit the stories that are going in the rundown. Many things fall through the cracks and it’s helpful to have another set of eyes to keep things looking and sounding right. The anchors read whatever they see in the teleprompter so it’s up to the newsroom to ensure that the sentences going on air are broadcast style and grammatically correct. I tend to read the copy aloud as if I were anchoring because I feel like it helps me double check that the stories are sounding broadcast appropriate.