Reading Reflection: Chapter 11

In broadcast journalism, every word you say must be exemplified in the visuals you show.  For example, if I'm talking about a maple tree in my script, the viewers should see a maple tree on the screen.  What you how visually should enhance the words you say.  This same principle applies when designing in business.

When designing graphics for TV, simplicity is key.  It will only be up for a few moments and it needs to be easy to comprehend.  Viewers will ignore complicated graphics that require a lot of explanation.  You don't want graphics to become a distraction from your story.  Most viewers will also pay more attention to what you put on the screen than what you say, so if your graphic is complicated and requires a lot of concentration, they will ignore you and try and interpret your graphic.

I used the graphic below in a story about conflicted poll results in a House of Representatives race.

One of the key parts of this graphic is how easy it is to read right off the bat.  You can immediately tell that this poll result has Mia Love getting the same amount of votes as Owens and other combined.  It doesn't have many words, either, to keep it simple and easy to read.  The words give enough context without being overwhelming.   

Also notice the colors; Love's bar is red because she's a Republican, Owen's bar is blue because he is a Democrat, and the other bar is yellow because it is unaffiliated with a party.

Reading Reflection: Chapter 9

                Business research and journalism research are done for different purposes, but may have similar methods.  Businesses do research to increase their profit margin and better serve their customers.  Journalists do research to tell a factually correct story and inform the public about things they need to know.

                Secondary research isn't done as often as primary research in journalism.  It’s still important, though that secondary research is done to check facts and make sure that what people say is true because they may be wrong or lying.  Journals and articles may provide good context and more understanding, but are rarely the actual story itself.  (Stories are built around people, not facts.)  I use journals for interesting statistics and findings that may pertain to a larger story.  I use this infrequently, though, because news isn't about academia, but more about how it will affect the life of who is watching it.

                Journalists do a great deal of primary research.  When searching for stories, we observe what’s going on around us and figure out what people are talking about.  These observations can be used as a jumping off point for the story and help people know who to interview.  What people say in the interview is ultimately what drives the story.  The “human” element is what’s interesting to them, so journalists pander to it.  

Reading Reflection: Chapter 8

                Brainstorming and creativity are essential in good journalism.  In story meetings before a broadcast, all the people involved in the process bounce around ideas of what stories should be done that day.  As a reporter, I have to come in already with my own ideas and then fit them in with the ideas of my producers and news director.

                In my personal brainstorming session before the story meeting, I follow the four basic steps of creativity outlined in the book: (1) understand, (2) incubate, (3) develop, and (4) refine.  I think this is a pretty solid process to follow when looking for stories.  I first look for problems or issues people are debating and talking about.  I get an understanding of this, and find out more, then I find one person who may have a solution to the problem.  Then I find another person with a different idea or solution to add more depth to the story.  Finally, I refine how I want the story told and the angle I want to take.  After all these steps, I can start writing.

                The story meeting runs the same way as the oral group brainstorming session described in the book.  There’s a group of producers and reporters and there are no fewer than six or more than twelve in the room.  The facilitator is normally the executive producer of the show and he or she will also be the recorder, and write down all the ideas to make sure there is a flow and cohesion in the show.  This structure allows for the brainstorming session to be effective. 

Reading Reflection: Chapter 7

The beginning of this semester marked the beginning of a job search that was much more difficult and time consuming than I could have imagined.  It started with creating a killer resume then writing individualized cover letters for each job.

My resume is in the basic chronological style.  I begin with my background, which includes most of my educational experiences.  I have a small skills section that is specific to my field of work in reporting.  The bulk of my resume is made up on my work experience, which is given in chronological order.  My most impressive work happens to be my most recent work, but if it wasn't, I may consider switching to a functional resume.

I tried to adjust each of my cover letters to the job I was applying for.  This allowed me to showcase my skills and experience that would specifically relate to what the employer is looking for.  This was a time consuming process as I honed my skills to try and meet the expectations and wishes of who I would prospectively interview with. 

I heard back from very few of the places I submitted my cover letter and resumes to.  This is not totally unexpected, because employers like to keep their options open, although it is frustrating.  I eventually found a job after a month of looking and sending out my resume at least 10 times.

Reading Reflection: Chapter 6

No matter what business you're in, you'll have to correspond in a written message at some point.  Emails, in particular, are used frequently and are a key source of communication.  It can be easy to get casual in email correspondents, but it's important to remember that emails need to be professional and easy to read.

As a journalist, I am constantly using emails to contact sources and people within my newsroom.  It is essential to check email consistently, probably more than the once or twice a day the book suggests.  People are constantly emailing tips and your news director is constantly sending updates on stories.  Keeping up with the latest goings on will make the story that is put up the most accurate and current one possible.

Another important point to note in my field as a journalist is being careful what I put in writing. Whether is a simple note or a long written interview, I need to be very aware of what I put in writing.  What I say, on air or on paper, can be considered slander or libel if I'm not careful.  It can also damage my credibility if it is not written well.  I should also keep all the emails that are sent to me in case someone tries to accuse me of lying or misrepresenting their words.

Reading Reflection: Chapter 4

We live in a world full of poor design.  I am no design expert by any means, but following the HATS rule and other basic rules can makes our world visually more appealing and more accessible.

I use design techniques on my personal website.  This website is for future employers to see my work as a reporter.  I'll focus on how I used HATS effectively or ineffectively on it and how I can change my design to enhance visual appeal.

Headings

On my website, I use this heading (seen below) consistently.  No matter what page you click on, you can always see my name, the other tabs, my contact information, and my social media information.  This allows future employers to navigate my website quickly and effectively, without getting lost in the muddle.  They have several ways to find the same information, which decreases frustration and also gives me more opportunities to prove myself.

Art

The art on my website is limited to pictures and videos.  There was really no need for charts and graphs, because I'm not depicting numbers or data.  I only put photographs on my website that have good lighting, follow the rule of thirds, and have high resolution.  These rules help the photos focus on the subject (which is me) and not get distracted.  I also blurred the background image so it would not take away from the words.

Typography

Sans serif fonts are great for headlines because, as the book says, they have a thicket stroke and are easier to read in larger sizes.  Serif fonts are easier to read for blocks of text.  On my website, I exclusively use sans serif fonts.  This was a stylized choice, because I wanted it to look clean and modern, although I think I could adjust the bigger bodies of text to be serif fonts so it's easier to read.

Spacing

Unfortunately, I am using a website maker for my site that doesn't always make it easy to use space effectively.  In the picture below, you can see how my text extends far below the video and pictures.  It would look better if I shortened the text so there's not as much negative white space beneath the video and pictures.  White space can be used effectively, like above the text and art, but too much of it looks empty.

To visit my website, go to katiejryan.weebly.com.

Reading Reflection: Chapter 2

                When choosing content for a television news show, producers are always trying to answer the audiences’ question of “what’s in it for me?”  This is a term that is used frequently in the newsroom and it’s one we try to answer in the story.  Often, WIIFM makes the news story applicable and relatable.  For example, if you’re talking about crime rates going up over the past year, you’ll want to focus on why the rates have gone up, what are the police doing to change it, and is the community safe.  You’re looking at your writing from the outside in and asking “why should I care?”

                Evaluating WIIFM is part of the first phase of the writing process.  Deciding what content to include is part of the research process.  As you’re researching and learning the material of the story, you have to organize it.  When I organize a news story, I decide what the most important information is, then put it first.  Once I organize, I can really start writing and crafting the story.  One of the best ways to write is to put words on paper first, then re-write and edit until it’s perfect.  The last step, according to Baker, is design.  Often in broadcast writing, this is the first step that then drives the story.  Especially as a reporter, you write according to your visuals.  So, if you have a great shot of a crackling bonfire, you’ll make sure you write a part where you can show that fire.  It’s important to understand how you want the design to look like from the start so you can make sure it’s visually possible. 

                This is one of my stories that exemplifies WIIFM and writing to my visuals. 

Reading Reflection: Chapter 1

Chapter 1 is all about communication on three different levels: broadly, in teams or groups, and one-on-one.  I am a communications major.  My emphasis is broadcast journalism, which directly translate to large scale, mass communication.  I found this chapter interesting because I learned that, even as a journalist, I will be doing much more than just mass communication.

Eleven News at Noon Monday crew Fall 2014

Interpersonal communication in a work place is key to a happy environment.  Some of these skills include listening, socialization, trust, and networking.  I really liked the part about trust.  In our newsroom, there are many different components that must happen to make a successful newscast: reporters have to meet their deadlines, producers need to pick good stories, tech engineers must have the settings correct, etc.  We have to trust each other and be trust worthy.  As soon as someone drops the ball, or even accuses someone of dropping the ball, the trust is gone and the stress level heightens.  This is when the intensity that is natural in a deadline driven world turns to anger.  The best product is never produced in an angry place.