Issues

RTDNA Webinar Archive: 'Video-Free-For-All'

 Click here to watch the session


Date: November 4, 2009
Host: Lane Beauchamp, RTDNA Region 11 Director
Running Time: 1:00:04

Notes: Audio levels vary throughout the session. Thanks for your patience in adjusting the volume on your speaker/headphones.

Any questions about the webinar can be directed to RTDNA's Digital Media Editor Ryan Murphy at ryanm@rtnda.org.

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2009 News Websites Survey

Click here for the full survey

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Tough Calls: Dealing with Public Officials

THE QUESTION: A candidate for public office makes an incorrect statement—a serious gaffe—to your crew. Under what circumstances, or to what extent, would your station edit that response? Would you leave it as is for the public to decide or would you make some effort to make the statement correct?

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Producing: Find Opportunity in a Job Lost

Dow Smith

You may not be able to escape layoffs, but you can rebound from them.

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Managing: The Calm Before the Storm

Mark Willis

What we can learn from Texas broadcasters who helped their communities through Hurricane Ike.

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President's Column: Anticipating the Digital Switch

Barbara Cochran

How you can help your viewers from being left in the dark.

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Chairman's Column: What’s Par for This Hole?

Ed Esposito

Journalism organizations can no longer take a mulligan when it comes to working together.

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Feature: The Cutting Edge

James Careless

Search & Recovery: When the mission is to fi nd an archived story or image, not all newsrooms take advantage of digital solutions.

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Feature: Now is the Perfect Time for Reinvention

Stefani Blair

Redefine what it means to be a modern journalist. Redesign your newsroom for better workflow. Rethink the way you cover what matters most to your viewers.

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Tough Calls: Getting Along with Public Officials

Question: A spat with an elected official has caused a roadblock in the way your station receives important city/state government information. How do you continue to get that news to your community? How do you publicly handle such a quarrel?

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Producing: So You Want to Be a Producer, Part 3

By Dow Smith

Things to consider when an offer has been made.

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Anchoring: Anchors as Leaders

By Desiree Hill

What you say and do can influence the rest of the team in a positive way.

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Chairman's Column: Going With the Flow Versus Drowning

By Ed Esposito

It’s time we stop fighting the change that’s moving us as an industry.

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President's Column: Make Room for RTNDA in Your 2009 Budget

By Barbara Cochran

Membership pays dividends for you and your station.

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The Digital Edge: Picture Perfect

by James Careless

Using all of the elements of on-air presentation to achieve a compelling newscast.

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Feature: All the News That's Fit to Post

by Andrea Rouda

If you’re looking for innovation and journalism excellence online, bookmark these Murrow Award-winning websites.

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Feature: Person to Person

by Ellen Hunt

A summit of top news executives and journalists met in June to reflect on Edward R. Murrow’s “wires and lights in a box” speech, and to address with Murrow-esque candor the realities—and future—of broadcast journalism.

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Tough Calls: Assigning Stories to Minority Reporters

THE QUESTION: Some reporters take issue with being assigned to stories that affiliate them with a particular culture— be it ethnic, religious, age, gender, etc.; for instance, having a Latino cover Cinco de Mayo. How do you assign stories to your reporters without creating pigeon-holes for them?

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Producing: So You Want to Be a Producer, Part 2

By Dow Smith

In a job interview, make sure they know enough about you, and you know enough about them.

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Managing: Make the Most of Your Summer Interns

By Scott Brodbeck

Sure, they could pick up your dry cleaning, but getting them engaged will benefit them, and you.

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Legal Notes: When Your Site Says the Darndest Things

By Kathleen Kirby

Creating opportunities for the public to contribute to your website may make you liable.

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President's Column: Sunday Mornings With Tim

By Barbara Cochran

Tim Russert's interview format made political news interesting to those outside the Beltway.

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Chairman's Column: The Way Things Are

By Ed Esposito

We need to focus less on how things used to be and more on how we can improve the industry.

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Digital Edge: In the Eye of the Beholder

By James Careless

Whether built for field or the studio, these cameras and lenses offer creative solutions for your newsroom.

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Feature: Newsroom Nightmares

By Jason Raphael

Dealing with the unexpected.

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Cover Story: 2008 Women and Minorities Survey

By Bob Papper

The Face of the Workforce

Results from the latest RTNDA/Hofstra University Annual Survey show increases in the number of women and minorities working in—and leading—TV and radio newsrooms.

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Tough Calls: To Publish Online or On Air For Breaking News

THE QUESTION:
With the growth of multimedia capabilities in the newsrooms, when breaking news hits, do you post it on the website first, even though you have not broadcast the story yet? How do you decide where breaking news should go first: online or on air?

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Producing: So You Want to Be a Producer

Dow Smith

There will always be a need for good producers. Here’s how to get one foot in the door.

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Managing: Welcome to Our Newsroom

By Al Tompkins

10 Things You Must Know (Before We Give You a Paycheck)

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President's Column: Planning for the Future of RTNDA

Barbara Cochran

Our association is working to stay relevant and meet your changing needs.

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Chairman's Column: This Glass is Half Full

By Ed Esposito

No matter what is said about profit margins, our greatest asset will always be quality journalism.

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The Digital Edge: Ready to Launch

By James Careless

How to prepare for launching a new newscast.

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Web Survey: Connected

By Bob Papper

Who has news websites and how do they use them? Results of the annual RTNDA/Hofstra University Web Survey.

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Feature: The Revolving Door of Managers

Barbara Meagher

Seven ways you can prepare for your next news boss, and the one after that, and the one after that.

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Salary Survey: A Run for the Money

By Bob Papper

Inflation continues to outpace many salaries in TV and radio news. But not all.

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Feature: The Broadcast Economy

By Deborah Potter

Any short-term bubble created by election ads and the Olympics will burst soon. News directors planning for 2009 will need smart leadership to stay on top.

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Tough Calls: Presidential Candidates and One-on-One Satellite Interviews

Communicator staff

THE QUESTION:
The presidential candidates are offering one-on-one satellite interviews from the campaign trail in important states. The opportunity puts your anchor doing a direct talk back interview with Clinton, Huckabee, McCain or Obama, but the candidate pays for the satellite time. Do you accept the offer? Do you disclose who paid for the time to your viewers? If you allow representation of one candidate, do you allow air time for all?

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Newswriting: 21 Questions to Better Newswriting

By Mervin Block

Even network scripts are filled with mistakes from which we can learn.

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Legal Notes: In a Brave New World Old Laws Still Apply

By Kathleen Kirby

The Internet is not the Wild West—so beware of copyright, libel and other liabilities.

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President's Column: The Time is Now for A Federal Shield Law

By Barbara Cochran

A current case involving a reporter from USA Today underscores the need to protect sources.

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Chairman's Column: The Beat Goes On

By Bill Roswell

The times, they are changing, but electronic journalism has a strong foundation.

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The Digital Airwaves: Making the Move From Analog to Digital

By James Careless

Moving is never easy, and never cheap, but Sprint Nextel and the FCC still try in vain to find a ‘one size fits all’ solution for reallocation.

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Feature: The Changing Lead

By Stacey Woelfel

News managers find their philosophy is shifting when it comes to the top spot in the newscast.

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Feature: Ahead of the Curve ... The New Newseum

By Andrea J. Rouda

Reflecting the changes in news delivery worldwide, the second version of the Newseum emphasizes the growing importance of broadcasting.

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Cover Story: Politics Live

By Angie Kucharski

This year's Paul White Award winner Sam Donaldson talks about this election and his storied career covering the White House. PLUS: This year's RTNDA@NAB, where the digital revolution took center stage.

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Tough Calls: Conflicts of Interest

Communicator Staff

THE QUESTION: What restrictions (if any) do you place on your news staff in regards to serving on the board of directors for community organizations, being a part of government lobby groups or affiliating with organizations with an agenda? What measures do you take to prevent conflicts of interest?

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Anchoring: The Elements of Murrow Style

By Bob Grip

As an anchor, Edward R. Murrow owned his script and cared about the stories he reported.

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Managing: Feds to Require Vests For Journalists

By Stacey Woelfel

Soon, news crews reporting near federal roadways will need high visibility safety gear.

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President's Column: Control the Revolution

By Barbara Cochran

Don’t gamble with your digital future by missing RTNDA@NAB in Las Vegas.

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Chairman's Column: Getting Warmer

By Bill Roswell

In order to compete for the attention of news consumers, radio has to engage the audience.

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The Cutting Edge: It’s a Beautiful Day for HD Weather

By James Careless

Presenting the forecast with HD toys means producing for screens of two different aspect ratios, but newsrooms that take the challenge have been rewarded with ratings.

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Murrow Special: Good Business and Good Television

Today’s journalism students respect Murrow’s message: our own reward is in serving our audience.

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Murrow Special: To Be Both Free and Enterprising

Tom Wolzien

Future business models for broadcast hinge on the changes in news consumption and our willingness to adapt to those changes.

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Murrow Special: Wires and Lights, Everywhere You Look

Mark Effron

Today you can reach your audience on many more platforms but Murrow’s standards should always be at their base.

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Murrow Special: An Effort to Illuminate

Al Tompkins

Advocacy journalism and the role of opinion in the newsroom.

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Murrow Special: The Incompatible Combination of Show Business, Advertising and News

Gail Shister

If Murrow struggled with the news/entertainment balance in a time of The Big 3 networks, imagine how he’d feel about cable TV.

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Murrow Special: Our History Will Be What We Make It

Bob Edwards

Murrow’s words have helped shape an industry for five decades but how would he fit in with today’s broadcast reality?

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Tough Calls: Airing Footage of Minors

THE QUESTION: Closed-circuit video catches an armed robber holding restaurant workers captive and stealing money. Police distribute the tape to stations to help catch the suspect, but the father of a restaurant employee protests his daughter’s face being broadcast, because she� is a minor and because he fears for her safety. How do you treat the video?

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Producing: The Internet Is for Breaking News, Right?

Dow Smith

Producers debate how to handle web stories when there’s a great scoop involved.

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Reporting: Why the Live Interview

Mark Grabowski

Five reasons you should insist that your interviews be face-to-face.

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President's Column: What Would Murrow Do?

Barbara Cochran

This year, RTNDA marks two anniversaries in the life of a broadcast pioneer who raised issues today’s journalists still face.

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Chairman’s Column: Looking Ahead of the Changing Technology

Bill Roswell

RTNDA conventions have always been ahead of the digital curve.

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Names in the News: Job Changes, Awards and Retirement

Find out who's who and where careers are headed in the industry with Names in the News.

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Newsbreak: RTNDA@NAB, Recent Legislation, The Latest Tools on the "Block"

Read a sneak peek into RTNDA@NAB, find out the latest in industry news and more.

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The Digital Edge: The Redesign of Opens and Closes

James Careless

Deliver the news without spinning logos, heroic opening themes or intricate finales.

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WDTN-TV’s Bob Phillips: 50 Years and Counting

By Andrea Rouda

The Cal Ripken of the newsroom loves his job, and that has helped him avoid burnout for a half century.

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Cover Story: Beating Burnout

Kevin Benz

The newsroom is a hotbed of activity 24/7, and that’s affecting your spark, and maybe even your health. Here’s how to spot burnout—in yourself and your employees—and find a way to love your job again.

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Tough Calls: Editorializing On Air, and Online

By Staff

Question: How do you feel about your reporters editorializing (on air and online) about a story they had been covering? What kind of guidance do you give your reporters to prevent opinions from surfacing?

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Producing: Cold Calling for Producers

By Howard Price

Ten secrets account execs use that can help producers set up great interviews.

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Managing: Do-It-Yourself Journalism

By Stacey Woelfel

RTNDA has guidelines for evaluating what -- and how -- to use footage from your audience.

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President's Column: In Defense of Stations In the VNR Crossfire

By Barbara Cochran

Editorial decisions are not the FCC's to make, even when third-party material is involved.

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Chairman's Column: My Brief Visit to the Head of the Class

By Bill Roswell

Everybody wins when professional journalists go into the classroom and offer their perspective.

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The Cutting Edge: Newsroom Workflow

By James Careless

Simplify the process of getting footage to air.

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Cover Story: Big News in 2007

By Stacey Woelfel

We can learn a lot from the stories that tested us this past year, and apply those lessons to whatever may come our way in 2008.

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5 Ways to Cover the Candidates (Without Spending Your War Chest)

Candidate spend millions drawing attention to the issues. You don't have to spend millions to cover them.

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Tough Calls: Something to Blog About

The Question:

Do you as a news director think you should get to control what your news staffers blog about? Do they have to get your OK to have a blog?

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Reporting: Avoid FOIA Circles

By Anne Kramer

You have the right to access certain public information. Here’s how to make the requests.

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Managing: When To Use – and Avoid – Confidential Sources

By Al Tompkins

Manage the journalist/source relationship.

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President's Column: Add a Little Sunshine to Election 2008

By Barbara Cochran

From the coalition that brings you Sunshine Week each March, new efforts to make open government a campaign issue. Read More...

Chairman's Column: Be a Leader in the Digital Conversation

Bill Roswell

We need informed broadcast journalists, not a law, to help the public transition.

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The Cutting Edge: To Shoot or Not to Shoot in HD

By James Careless

That is the question: In what ways are newsrooms using HD ENG, and with what products? Read More...

Feature: Lights, Camera, Access to a Successful Career

By Barbara Meagher

Tips for navigating the broadcast news hiring process.

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Feature: Partners in Crime

By Stacey Woelfel

Work with law enforcement to nab criminals in a way that preserves the administration of justice and the integrity of your newscast.

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Cover Story: Give e-Power to the People

By Deborah Potter

As the candidates race toward Washington, newsrooms race to be the online leader of election coverage.

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Tough Calls: To Report or Not To Report

The Question:
An investigative piece leads to criticism of a local business that occasionally brings ad revenue to the station. Are you willing to lose the ad revenue if the story is important to the viewers? What standards or policies does your station have to help make these decisions?

 

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Buyer’s Guide: Your Weather in HD

Michael Murrie

Innovations to make the elements as real on screen as they are outside.

 

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Reporting: Journalists in Bloggerdom

Al Tompkins

Straddling the worlds of news and opinion.

 

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Managing: The Philosophy of Sportscasts

Kevin Benz

Make your sports stories as relevant as your news stories.

 

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President's Column: Sports Journalism: It's Not Just a Game

Barbara Cochran

RTNDA leads talks with NFL to protect independent reporting on air and online.

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Chairman's Column: Broadcast Journalists and the Pope

By Bill Roswell

How one Philly native changed the way Vatican

officials think of mass media. Read More

Web Exclusive! Survey Data Found Only Online

By Bob Papper

Part of the 2007 RTNDA/Ball State University Survey asks news managers about the use of "oneman bands" in the newsroom, and about the so-called "ever-shrinking sportscast." What are the trends in these areas? Read More...

Survey: News, Staffing and Profitability 2007

By Bob Papper

Another growth year for TV news and staff, while radio news mostly stands still.

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Feature: Great Stories Come in Little Packages

By Al Tompkins

How to write short and fast -- and still get your message across.

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Cover Story: Strength In Unity

October 2007

This year’s RTNDA/UNITY Award winners are committed to diversity in their newsrooms and in their coverage. And that makes for great journalism.

 

By Brian Bull

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Tough Calls: Hysterical Live Callers

Question: Your station is speaking live with a caller who is “reporting” on a breaking news event, but the caller becomes hysterical on air and you worry that the information will incite panic among your viewers/listeners. What do you do? Read More...

Buyer's Guide: Listen Up

By Michael Murrie

Digital audio delivers. Read More...

Producing: Supertease With Ease

By Paula Pendarvis

Your viewers are naturally curious, so hook them early and they’ll stick around. Read More...

Reporting: From the Front Lines

By Tony Silvia

A course on the media’s coverage of war yields a new free resource for reporting conflict.

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Managing: The Worst of Times

By Ed Esposito

Make sound decisions when breaking news events take over your newsroom. Read More...

Legal Notes: Bona Fide Coverage

By Kathleen Kirby

As candidates crusade for airtime, make sure you understand political programming regulations. Read More...

President's Column: The Fight for Free Speech v. The Fairness Doctrine (Again)

By Barbara Cochran

Why this FCC regulation is better off dead. Read More...

Chairman's Column: The “i” in Team Coverage

By Bill Roswell

Thanks to user-generated content, you have “spot news correspondents” everywhere. But exercise caution in using their footage. Read More...

Feature: The Sports Spot

By Rob Wheat

The sportscast may be shrinking in many areas, but Kansas City is home to the only nightly sports talk show in America on noncable television. Read More...

Feature: 5 Trade Secrets for Your Newsroom

By Steve Safran, Andrea Rouda and Stefani Blair

Unlocking the mysteries of success. Read More...

Cover Story: The Millennials

September 2007

Members of the next generation are graduating college and taking jobs in newsrooms.

Who are they?

How do they think?

How do you manage them?

How do they manage you?

By Stacey Woelfel

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Tough Calls: Reporting on Juveniles

Question: A well-known high school athlete in your community is arrested for driving under the influence. How do you report this story considering he is a juvenile and a household name?

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Buyer’s Guide: Syndicated Content

By Michael Murrie

News services extend to web multimedia. Read More...

Reporting: Trial by Blogosphere

By Marc Watts

What to do when provocative reporting makes you Public Enemy No. 1 in an online community. Read More...

Producing: Hit a Home Run

By Jason Raphael

Producing sports for the non-fan. Read More...

Managing: When the Networks Come to Town

By Ed Esposito

News managers offer advice for handling a national story with a small-market staff. Read More...

President's Column: Getting It Right in a Digital World

By Barbara Cochran

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Chairman's Column: The Loss of a Down for Broadcasters

By Bill Roswell

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Feature: Al Tompkins 10 Rules for Online Storytelling

By Al Tompkins

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Survey: Women and Minorities in the Newsroom

By Bob Papper

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Cover Story: Accomplished. Hard-Working. Women. Minority. Journalists.

July/August 2007

Six Stories of Success: Women minority journalists discuss diversity.

Carla Aragon of KOB-TV in Albuquerque, NM, (right) joins in the discussion on where the industry has been -- and where it needs to go -- to create newsrooms that reflect their communities.

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Feature: Worst Case Scenario

By Joe Courson

If a flu pandemic outbreak has the world on its knees, make sure your station can rise to the challenge.

 

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Full Disclosure

Stacey Woelfel

The use of video news releases is not new, but recent attention has some newsroom managers keeping a watchful eye on when and how VNRs are incorporated into stories. Read More...

Paul White Award Feature: Jim McKay, Sports Authority

By Robert Garcia

Jim McKay has made his mark covering sports and news. The longtime face and voice of the Olympics and ABC Sports is the winner of the 2001 Paul White Award.

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