Staff Manual


STYLE RULES

ABBREVIATIONS-Never use abbreviations in a broadcast script.Avoid any chance of confusion by spelling out all titles, places, dates and phrases, e.g. MISTER vs. MR., FOR EXAMPLE vs. e.g., VERSUS vs. VS.

SYMBOLS - Even though many symbols are commonplace, don’t make news announcers guess what you want them to say. Write out the complete word that the symbol represents, e.g. PERCENT, not% ; AT, not @.

ACRONYMS – Always recite the full name the first time you reference it in the script, and in subsequent references, use the acronym with letters separated by hyphens to let the news announcer know to recite each letter separately, e.g. when referring to the United Nations as an acronym, write U-N. Remember, though, some acronyms are meant to be pronounced like actual words. Do not use hyphens in cases like these, e.g. FEMA when referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

PUNCTUATION

  • Parentheses are for print journalism only so never use parenthetical comments as part of your script copy. In broadcast, parenthesis are used in the script format only to signify direction for crew and talent, and the content within them is not meant to be read aloud.
  • Commas and clauses make sentences more complex and less conversational so limit their uses.
  • Use an ellipsis or a dash, rather than a comma,to indicate pauses in the script copy.
  • Hyphenated words – Do not hyphenate words from one line of text to the next. Write the complete word on the next line.

STYLE for NUMBERS

  • 0 through 9 – Write in WORD form, e.g. zero, one, two, three, etc.
  • 10 through 999 – Write in NUMERIC form, e.g. 11, 368, 974, etc.
  • 1,000 and above—Write in a combination of numerals and words according to how you would transcribe the words exactly as you recite theme.g. 62-MILLION, 953-THOUSAND.

COMINATIONS OF NUMBERS, WORDS and SYMBOLS— Write out the information according to how you would transcribe the words exactly as you recite them,e.g. TWO-POINT-FIVE-MILLION-DOLLARS instead of $2.5 MILLION; 100 PERCENT instead of 100%; FOUR O’CLOCK P-M instead of 4:00 p.m.

Pronouncing ADDRESSES - Sometimes you may want the anchor to read a street address a particular way, e.g. TWO-SEVENTEEN JAMES STREET instead of 217 JAMES ST. In those cases, write it out exactly as you want the announcer to recite it, e.g. THREE-FIFTY-SIX FIFTH AVENUE instead of 356 5th Ave.

PRONOUNCERS – Broadcast scripts mustinclude phonetic notes to ensure the anchor correctly pronounces unfamiliar names and locations. These phonetic notes are called pronouncers and they indicate how the words sound and which syllable/s to stress.

Use UPPERCASE letters for the syllable/s that should be stressed

Use lowercase letters for the syllables that are not stressed

e.g. AL QAEDA (al KI dah); LIECHTENSTEIN (LICKED en schtine)

PRONOUNCERS FOR UNUSUAL SPELLING-- Use pronouncers for common names with unusual spellings, e.g. Cayti (KATIE).

Use these suggestions for common sounds when you write pronouncers:

VOWELS

a- bait, trait

ah- father, arm

aw- raw, draw

ay- fate, ace

eh – bed

ee- tea

ih- pin, middle

oh- go, oval

oo- food, two

ow- scout, crowd

uh- tough, puff

eye- ice, time, guide

yoo-- fume, few, dew

CONSONANTS

g- got, beg

j- job, gem

k- keep, cap

ch- chair, butcher

sh- shut, fashion

zh-vision, mirage

th- thin, math

kh- caucus

SCRIPT FORMAT RULES

SCRIPT FORMATS-- Scripts must be typed as Microsoft Word documents using a two-column table template, single-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman.

CASE

  • All VO should be typed in capital letters.
  • SOTs should be typed in sentence case and should be in quotation marks.
  • B-ROLL should be taped in capital letters

SLUGS—Slugs must accompany each script and be written in the top left corner of the audio column. Each slug must include the following information, in this order:

  • Brief identifying title, followed by a forward slash, followed by the type of story it is, e.g. BLAWNOX HOUSE FIRE/ ANCHOR READER
  • The date and time the script was submitted. (If a story needs to be updated or revised, the time-stamp avoids confusion about which is the most recent version.)
  • The writer’s first and last name

e.g. BLAWNOX HOUSE FIRE/ ANCHOR READER

JANUARY 9, 2012 8:57 a.m.

JANE SMITH

VO/SOT PACKAGE CREDITS- Credits for VO/SOT field packages will display the following credits over the lead-in animation and include the following four lines, stacked: Story title, Producer, Videographer, Editor. Be sure to include the credits in your art order request.

LOCATORS—VO/SOT field packages must include LOCATORS for each major location in the package. Locators are not to exceed one line of text, e.g. Pioneer Hall, Point Park Campus; McKees Rocks, Pa.

CG for LOCATORS -- Follow AP PRINT STYLE for writing state abbreviations.

CG for SOT attribution – CG to identify people interviewed in VO/SOT packages must be two stacked lines of text in lower 1/3, left-justified over SVSNanimation strip. First line is the person’s full name in bold; second line is the person’s title or relationship to story, e.g.

Professor John Smith

School of Communications

Alysha Johnson

Witness

ADDITIONAL LOWER 1/3 INFO—VO/SOT stories may include additional information, such as hash tags or web prompts, in CG in lower 1/3, left-justified, over the SVSNanimation strip, so long as that information does not exceed two lines of text.

WEB PROMPTS – All web prompts, including CG and verbal, must direct viewers to the

website for more information. Links to all other story-related URLs will be found on the website but may not be shown in CG or verbally as part of the SVSNbroadcast, e.g. “For more about becoming a bone marrow donor, log on to for a link to the National Marrow Donor Registry.”

CONTENT AND COPY RULES

STORY BUDGETS—All story pitches should include evidence of preliminary research proving the story idea is viable and newsworthy; and, the pitch must identify at least one primary expert source. Each reporter is responsible for having at least three solid story ideas each segment

BRIDGES and END-TAGS—VO/SOT packages must include a reporter Bridge and a consistent end-tag. End-tags must include the program title, the reporter’s name, the remote location, and a toss back to the studio, e.g. “For SVSN, I’m Maria Martinez, live in Anywhere Township. Now back to you in the studio.”

RE-ASKS—Re-asks are a necessary evil of the one-camera shoot. In order to minimize ethics infractions (or even the appearance of an ethics infraction), all re-asks must be shot immediately following the interview while the interview subject is still present. Re-asks must be framed to include the interview subject in the shot, e.g. a wide 2-shot; or, a reverse of the reporter shot over the shoulder of the interview subject.

PRIMARY SOURCES—Both in-studio and VO/SOT guests must include at least one credible expert source on the topic, with “credible” being defined as someone with accredited training, professional credentials, or work in an official capacity endorsed by a certified or approved or recognized expert entity, e.g. In a story about a flu outbreak, the school nurse qualifies as a medical expert and can provide medical advice. A student who had the flu is not a credible source to dispense medical advice (although, of course, a student can offer perspective about a personal experience with the flu).

ACCEPTABLE METHODS FOR BROADCAST-QUALITY INTERVIEWS INCLUDE:

--In-person, broadcast live from a studio or via satellite from the field.

--In-person, pre-recorded in a studio

--In-person, pre-recorded in the field

--Live or pre-recorded remote via a source such as Skype.

--Neither email nor smart-phone technology, such as “Face-time”

communications, will be recognized as acceptable broadcast-quality

interview formats.

B-ROLL AND ACQUIRED FOOTAGE RULES

B-ROLL LOOPING --VO/SOT stories may not loop video or re-use B-ROLL shots. Shoot enough B-ROLL to adequately picture-point your story, or, write shorter and more concise copy that can be covered by the B-ROLL you have.

ACQUIRED FOOTAGE—Acquired stills and video may only be used if the signed footage license is submitted prior to the edit, at the final planning staff meeting before the live-to-studio taping. The source of the acquired footage must be accompanied on screen by an 8-pt font CG left-justified, white or grey, in the upper left corner of the frame, not to exceed two stacked lines of text, e.g. Footage/ photo by: U.S. Department of Defense. Be sure to include this in your art order.


BRIDGE-- A brief pre-recorded element of the field reporter appearing on-camera during a VO/SOT story to deliver relevant story information. It usually appears midway through the VO/SOT, which is why it is called a “bridge.” Also referred to as a stand-up.

B-ROLL—Any video elements shot to support the story in which the reporter does not appear and in which key subjects may be seen in action but are not answering a direct question from the reporter.

BUMPER- A short element (usually a graphic or animation lasting :03 - :05) used to buffer the program going into and out of commercial breaks. It is intended as a style element to underscore the transition to and from program content but it also has been appropriated in recent years as a branding tool for the program.

CG – Short for character generator, it refers to the graphic element of text appearing on the screen, e.g. an interview subject’s name seen on the screen during a soundbite. Also referred to as CHYRON, SUPER, or LOWER 1/3.

CONVERGENCE – The combining of communication technologies and media platforms -- including print, radio, television, online, and mobile media – to deliver a message through digital technology. Convergence now drives complementary programming and promotional strategies to maximize audiences.

COPY—The term used to refer to original script content. Do not confuse “writing copy” (the act of writing a script) with “copywriting,” which refers specifically to writing advertising, commercial, and promotional content.

DIFFUSION – A term referring to the process of how news spreads after its initial airing, e.g. word of mouth, social media, et al, and the potential for error as information is repeated.

EMBARGO— A prohibition or limitation stating when information from a video news release (VNR) or press release may be used. Embargoed information may refer to an end-date, as in the case of an event happening on a particular date; or, the embargo may refer to a start date, i.e. advance notice about something that may not be announced until the source has formally announced the news item to the public, e.g. information fed to news outlets when Osama Bin Laden was killed. (FYI, ignore an embargoed start date at your own peril. You will never receive advance info from that source again!)

END-TAG—The last few words the reporter says in the story. It usually includes the reporter’s name, location, and station’s call letters. The end tag is an important element for branding the station and the reporter. It is sometimes also referred to as a sig out, tag out, or lock out.

HOST WRAPS—Scripted elements to introduce and close out a non-news VO/SOT package, so named because they wrap around the story. Host Wraps may be delivered in the studio or in the field by the program host. The host wrap introduction is not a summary of the story; it is meant to be a creatively written introduction to entice the viewer to watch the story to find out more about the topic. The host wrap element after the story is meant to provide one more relevant piece of information related to the story but that did not appear in the VO/SOT package.

LOCATOR—A graphic/CG element that appears on the screen over B-ROLL, usually at the beginning of a news story, to indicate where the story is taking place, e.g. Washington County, Kennedy Township, etc.

PRONOUNCER—A phonetic spelling, in parenthesis, used in a script to help the talent correctly pronounce proper names, e.g. Lemieux(luh MYOO)

READER—A short news story read live by an anchor in the studio, at the news desk, without video or graphic support.

READER/VO - A short news story read live by an anchor in the studio, at the news desk, with video and/or graphic support rolled in to cover a portion of the anchor’s read.

RE-ASK—In the case of one-camera shoots, or for editing purposes, the reporter is taped repeating (re-asking) a question after an interview is over so it can be edited into the story in post-production. Because of ethics issues, re-asks should be limited and used judiciously.

REMOTE – A program element from outside the news studio, inserted live via satellite into the program at the appropriate time.

RUNDOWN – A list of the stories and show elements (such as bumpers, interstitials, etc.) in the order in which they will appear in the news program. It also includes the runtimes for each story and element; the anchor, host or field reporter designated for each story; the names of any in-studio guests appearing in a segment; and the total runtime of the program. Referred to in non-news programming as a format.

RUNTIME // TOTAL RUNTIME—The length of an individual story or program element. In terms of a complete program, the total runtime refers to the length of the entire program.

SOT—In television, it refers to a soundbite, which is an excerpt of an interview. Pronounced as either SOT (sought) or S-O-T, it literally stands for “sound on tape,” which is a note to the editor in the post-production process, telling him/her where to find the source interview. SOTs are written in the script in sentence case, i.e. upper- and lower-case and in quotation marks. NOTE: SOT, Quote, and Actuality all refer to the same thing: An interview excerpt inserted in a story; however, broadcast, print, and radio journalism each have different terms for it. Use the correct term when referring to the appropriate medium.

STRAIGHT LIVE –An anchor in the studio engages in Q&A about a story with a reporter in the field, via a live remote. This element includes only the conversation; no B-ROLL or graphic or pre-taped elements are rolled in to cover the exchange.

TOSS- An anchor’s introduction to a field reporter’s live news shot.

VO- Stands for voice over. Used in scripts to indicate the portion of script copy covered by B-ROLL. VO is written in a script using all capital letters.

VO/SOT – A pre-recorded and edited story package which is rolled into the program at the appropriate time. So named because the package is constructed of both voice overs and soundbites.


ADEQUATELY PREPARING HIGH SCHOOLERS FOR COLLEGE

The non-profit education advocacy organization College Board released results of a 2011 study stating only 43% of 2011 high school graduates are likely to be successful in college. This story will focus on the College and Career Readiness Benchmark study; its methods of collecting data; and how College Board made predictions and arrived at its conclusions based on SAT scores.

SOURCES—High school student preparing for SATs and ACTs; College Board study results ; James M. Montoya is Vice President for Higher Education Relationship Development at the College Board in New York City Phone: 212-713-8000; ACT test readiness study –College Readiness Begins in Middle School

SPECIALTY PROGRAMS AND 2-YEAR DEGREES – ALTERNATIVES TO COLLEGE

According to projections from the Department of Education, 80% of college students who ranked among the bottom quarter of their high school classes will probably never get a bachelor’s degree. This story will feature expert advice for students determining post-high school education options, particularly alternatives to traditional 4-year colleges.

SOURCES: High school graduate who felt unprepared for a 4-year college and was not successful in that path; high school guidance counselor; Dept. of Education -- Research & Statistics ; BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition

THE EMOTIONAL TOLL OF BEING AN ELITE ATHLETE

The number of elite athletes on “travel teams” has grown every year since 1998 and

according to the National Council of Youth Sports, there are currently more than two million American teens participating in some kind of elite sport such as ice skating, gymnastics, soccer, or hockey, requiring significant travel to compete in events. This particular story will examine the unique emotional burden these elite teen athletes face as a result of being involved in a sport that is costly, time-consuming, and ultra-competitive.

SOURCES: Licensed Sports Psychologist; parent of elite athlete; elite teen athlete; possibly coach of an elite travel team for background; National Council of Youth Sports American Academy of Pediatrics- Overuse injuries & Over-training Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State School

TEENS AND ORGAN DONATION

Teens can play a key role in the vital need for organ donation by opting to become organ and tissue donors – yet many teens hold stereotypes about organ donation, or are uninformed and unprepared to make this momentous decision when they are faced with it when they apply for driver licenses at age 16. This story will explore organ and tissue donation, dispel stereotypes, and include personal stories of people whose lives were changed by organ donors; and, it will specifically address points teens need to consider as they face the organ donor choice when applying for a driver’s license.

SOURCES-- National Donate Life site ; Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE) ; family of deceased teen organ donor; teen recipient of an organ/tissue donation; local Department of Motor Vehicles; US Clinical Trial Study #NCT00810901 Intervention to Motivate Teens to Become Organ Donors on Drivers License, Principal Investigator: Cheryl Albright, PhD, MPH School of Hawaii Cancer Research

PLANNING AN EFFECTIVE COLLEGE TOUR OR VISIT