STYLE RULESABBREVIATIONS- 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 them e.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.

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STYLE RULES for SCRIPTS and B-ROLL

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

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Staff ManualCASE

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 namee.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 SVSN animation 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 SmithSchool of Communications

Alysha JohnsonWitness

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 SVSN animation 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 SVSN broadcast, e.g.

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Staff Manual“For more about becoming a bone marrow donor, log on to www.piketon.k12.oh.us/SVSN.aspx for a link to the National Marrow Donor Registry.”

CONTENT AND COPY RULESSTORY 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 RULESB-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.

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Staff Manual

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.

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Staff Manual 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!)

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GLOSSARY of BROADCAST JOURNALISM

TERMS

Staff ManualEND-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,”

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Staff Manualwhich 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.

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Staff ManualADEQUATELY 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 http://media.collegeboard.com/pdf/cbs_2011_nat_release_091411.pdf ; James M. Montoya is Vice President for Higher Education Relationship Development at the College Board in New York City http://www.collegeboard.org/contact-us/ Phone: 212-713-8000; ACT test readiness study –College Readiness Begins in Middle School http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/CollegeReadiness.pdf

SPECIALTY PROGRAMS AND 2-YEAR DEGREES – ALTERNATIVES TO COLLEGEAccording 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 http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/landing.jhtml ; BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition http://www.bls.gov/ooh/

THE EMOTIONAL TOLL OF BEING AN ELITE ATHLETEThe 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 http://www.ncys.org/; American Academy of Pediatrics- Overuse injuries & Over-training http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/sports-injuries/Pages/Overuse-and-Overtraining.aspx; Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State School http://www.educ.msu.edu/ysi/

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EVERGREEN STORY IDEAS FORSCHOLASTIC JOURNALISTS

Staff ManualTEENS AND ORGAN DONATIONTeens 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 http://www.organdonor.gov/index.html ; Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE) http://www.core.org/ ; 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 Center calbright@cc.hawaii.edu

PLANNING AN EFFECTIVE COLLEGE TOUR OR VISIT Experts recommend high school students plan a visit to a college and tour the school and personally meet key personnel before making the decision to attend. In this story, experts will explain how to plan an effective college visit; what to do once you arrive; and important factors to consider before deciding which college to attend.

SOURCES—High school students planning college tours; parent of a high school student planning a college visit; high school guidance counselor; an admissions director for a local school; Information from College Board about planning a campus visit http://www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/college-visits/72.html ; Checklist for planning a successful college visit http://www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/college-visits/101.html

STUDENTS AND CREDIT CARD DEBTThis story would focus on debt management and financial literacy skills for college students. College students are a prime target for credit card companies and according to a 2009 study conducted by Sallie Mae, the average college undergraduate carries $3,173 in credit card debt, the highest level since Sallie Mae began collecting data in 1998. In 2008, college seniors with at least one credit card graduated with an average of $4,138 in card debt, up 44% from 2004. By comparison, freshmen's average credit card debt jumped 27% to $2,038. SOURCES: College students living with credit card debtCredit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ24/pdf/PLAW-111publ24.pdf Sallie Mae study https://www1.salliemae.com/about/news_info/newsreleases/041309.htm

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Staff ManualAmerican Institute of Certified Public Accountants -- 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy for College Student (non-profit) http://www.360financialliteracy.org/Life-Stages/College-Students

PAPERLESS CLASSROOMSThis story would focus on the environmental trend of moving toward a paperless classroom, and explore the successes and challenges faced by schools attempting to go paperless. In addition, it would explain tactics for creating a paperless classroom and explore the financial savings as well as environmental impact of this practice.

SOURCES: Teachers; administrators; local environmental experts; school piloting paperless classrooms. One particularly interesting case of a “paperless classroom” program is a high school in Zeeland, Michigan, which issued iPads to its students. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2011-09-20/schools-education-ipad-students/50480836/1 The Journal of Instructive Pedagogy, Creating a Paperless Classroom http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/09270A.pdfPaperless Classroom.org http://www.paperlessclassroom.org/ ; The Association of Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business“Is the Paperless Classroom Possible?” http://www.aacsb.edu/publications/archives/janfeb08/36-41_paperless_bized.pdf

CAREER TRAINING CENTERS – High schoolers and preparation for high-growth jobsThe Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that middle-skill jobs (jobs that generally require some significant education and training beyond high school but less than a bachelor’s degree) will account for about 45% of all job openings projected through 2014. Many parents and students believe a 4-year college is the only route to career security and dismiss the idea of attending Career and Technology Centers (formerly known as “Vo-Tech” schools) because of the lingering misconception that trade schools are for low-performing kids. Yet the majority of industry clusters showing the highest growth nationwide are ones that require two-year associate degrees or specialty training – like that offered by CTCs. This story will explore some of the common misconceptions held about CTCs and connect specialty training to high-growth and high-paying career opportunities.

SOURCES: Guidance counselors; student attending CTC; ACTE rep; Parent of student attending CTC; ACTE- Assoc. for Career and Technology Education http://www.acteonline.org/ Department of Labor – High-growth jobs statistics http://www.doleta.gov/business/industries/ BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition http://www.bls.gov/ooh/

RESOURCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING WITH CHRONIC PAINAccording to the American Chronic Pain Association, 24 – 40% of young people report living with some form of chronic pain. This story would focus on the unique social, emotional and physical needs for young people living with pain; and, it would explore resources especially for young people.

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Staff ManualSOURCE: A young person living with chronic pain; Growing Pains/ American Chronic Pain Association- for youth living with chronic pain http://www.theacpa.org/conditionDetail.aspx?id=53 ; National Institute of health –US Library of Pain Management http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pain.html ; Center for Disease Control – Health Survey Reporting Chronic Pain http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_06/sr06_006.pdf

REGISTERING FOR THE NATIONAL BONE MARROW DONOR REGISTRYThis story will explore the need for bone marrow donors and the benefits for recipients. Young people over the age of 18 can sign up for the National Bone Marrow Donor registry and the story will explain the procedure, address myths and misconceptions, and explain medical guidelines.

SOURCES: A young recipient of a bone marrow transplant, e.g. a teen cancer patient; a group (such as a campus fraternity or sorority) organizing a bone marrow drive to explain process of how to grow the registry http://marrow.org/Get_Involved/Grow_the_Registry/Grow_the_Registry.aspxNational Bone Marrow Donor Registry http://marrow.org/Join/Join_the_Registry.aspx ; Mayo Clinic- Blood and Bone Marrow donation http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bone-marrow/MY00525 ;

CAREERS IN DIPLOMACYThis story would focus on career exploration for high school students interested in diplomacy and careers in foreign relations. It also would explore diplomacy and negotiating skills as life skills necessary for success, and experts would explain how teens can apply “ambassador” concepts and tactics in their own lives right now for more successful problem-solving.

SOURCES – Local experts in diplomacy and political science (e.g. university professors, government agencies, etc.); student interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy; school civics teacher. US Dept. of State for Youth Division website http://exchanges.state.gov/youth/index.html US Dept. of State Office of the Historian Career Ambassadors page.

TEENS WHO WANT TO KICK THE CIGARETTE HABITThe Center for Disease Control and Prevention released stats saying teen smoking continues to increase with more than 90,000 new teen smokers each day— but the American Lung Association offers a program called NOT on Tobacco, designed especially to help young people kick the habit. Young people who hope to kick the cigarette habit face unique challenges and this story will explore the NOT on Tobacco program’s approach to address those challenges.

SOURCES -- NOT program prevention specialist; students in NOT on Tobacco program; pediatrician; American Lung Association NOT on Tobacco site http://www.notontobacco.com/

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Staff ManualThe Truth.com smoking awareness website aimed at young people http://www.thetruth.com/ ; Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/tcrb/

PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE GIRLS TO PURSUE STEM CAREERSThis story will explore girls’ lack of involvement in STEM education as they advance through middle and high school, and feature initiatives to engage girls in STEM education and careers.

SOURCES – Middle- and high school girls involved in STEM initiatives; Nerd Girls, an online global movement to connect girls interested in STEM careers http://www.nerdgirls.com/ ; White House initiative Educate to Innovate- focus on girls -- http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/07/28/more-faces-women-and-girls-stem Science Clubs for Girls – Fact Sheet on social and gender inequity in STEM education and the workforce - http://www.scienceclubforgirls.org/pressroom/Relevance-STEM_Education.pdf

TEENS AND RESUME PREPARATIONTeens usually are expected to present resumes for internships, scholarships, and college applications – even though most have limited work experience. This story will explain what information teens can and should include on a professional resume.

SOURCES: College Admissions representative; teen senior preparing resume; Youth Career Specialist from PA Careerlink https://www.cwds.state.pa.us/ ; Dept. of Labor & Industry O*NET website www.onetonline.org ; About.com – First-time resume (when you have no work experience)- http://teenadvice.about.com/od/adviceexpert/ht/htwriteresume.htm ;

SKIN CANCER ON THE RISE IN YOUTHA study conducted at the Mayo clinic and published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings revealed that between the years 1970 and 2009, the incidence of melanoma increased eightfold among young women and fourfold among young men ages 18 to 39. This story would explore the risk factors and provide expert medical advice specifically for young people, particularly regarding use of tanning beds, which were implicated in the study.

SOURCES-- young person with melanoma diagnosis; Mayo Clinic study results - http://newsblog.mayoclinic.org/2012/03/26/skin-cancer-news/ FYI, this link includes downloadable files with soundbites for journalists to use in video packages; Mayo Clinic dermatologist Dr. Jerry Brewer, spokesperson regarding study http://www.mayoclinic.org/bio/14276402.html ; Melanoma Foundation http://www.melanoma.org/

JOB-SHADOWING

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Staff ManualBecause of the pressure on high school (and even middle school) students to choose a career path, job-shadowing offers practical experience and insight for teens in the process of making career choices and choosing college majors. This story provides information for teens to help them find job-shadow opportunities and gain practical knowledge and first-hand experience as they consider careers.

SOURCES—teens who had job-shadow experiences; employers who offer job-shadow opportunities; Junior Achievement, a big proponent of the national job-shadow movement http://www.ja.org/programs/programs_job_shadow.shtml ; National Academy Foundation, national sponsors of Groundhog Job Shadow Day http://naf.org/calendar/groundhog-job-shadow; Sondra Clarke, a twenty-something author and job-shadow expert (completing more than 60 job shadows during high school while blogging about her experience) http://www.groovejob.com/resources/teen-job-resources/on-job-shadowing.html

TEENS AND BODY IMAGE-Models, Media, and Make-Up: Tricks of the Trade According to the Center on Media and Child Health, the majority of teens ranked media, including advertising, movies, music videos, etc., as a “moderate to significant” factor that affects their feelings about their own body image. This story would explore the connection between media and body image in teens, and speak to industry experts who reveal common make-up, photography, and Photoshop practices to modify celebrity images. Ultimately, the story can show that these industry practices create a huge chasm between perception and reality.

SOURCES—Media Awareness Network Media and Girls http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_girls.cfmNational Organization for Women -- Love Your Body: Children and Advertising Fact Sheet http://loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org/factsheet2.html; Dove Real Beauty Campaign www. campaign for realbeauty .com/ ; National Institute on Media and the Family, Media’s Effect On Girls: Body Image And Gender Identity http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_mediaeffect.shtml

SLEEP-DEPRIVED TEENSThe Center for Disease Control released results of a study saying almost 70 percent of high school students are not getting the recommended hours of sleep on school nights, and that insufficient sleep is associated with a variety of health-risk behaviors, including physical inactivity, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, fighting, and being sexually active. This story will cite the study and explore healthier sleep habits for teens.

SOURCES- sleep-deprived teens; teens’ parents; Lela R. McKnight-Eily, principal investigator for the CDC study 800-232-4636; CDC study results http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/a0926_insufficient_sleep.html National Sleep Foundation – Teens and Sleep facts and stats http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/teens-and-sleep

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Staff Manual

CHECKLISTFOR BROADCAST SCRIPTWRITING

FIRST-DRAFT PROCESS Gather fair and objective data and verify all information and sources for

accuracy. Are you prepared to defend the quality of information and its news value?

Evaluate the data to determine what the story is about.o BEGINNING -- Construct an L2W (lead that tells What and Where) based on

your information.

Organize MIDDLE of the storyo Inverted Pyramid – Facts arranged according to order of importance.

LOSS of human life or SERIOUS INJURY trumps other details. Minor injuries do not warrant high news value.

Be clear about the chronology of events. (e.g. Do not report firemen stopped the fire from spreading before you say what time the fire started!)

Write the END of the story.o Report the fact that looks to the future or the most recent fact.

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Staff Manual Recite the script aloud with a stopwatch to get an accurate runtime and to

test how the script sounds. Is it conversational and easy to comprehend when heard?

REVISION PROCESS HIGHLIGHT & REWRITE to trim word fat.

Revise so you are writing in ACTIVE VOICE where appropriate.

Revise so you DO NOT START SENTENCES WITH DEPENDENT CLAUSES.

FIX ALL VERBS according to rules of action, tense, and clarity. Be sure you do not split the subject and the verb at any point in the script.

Proof to make sure that you have ATTRIBUTED all facts to the appropriate source.

o Remember that we attribute FIRST in broadcast.

Evaluate SOTs to ensure they are presented fairly and in context. Proofread for AP BROADCAST STYLE ERRORS and SCRIPT FORMAT ERRORS.

Proofread your script for potentially objectionable language, such as stereotypical or subjective cultural labels or adjectives. If you feel you must use this language, is it clear why in the context of your story?

Recite the script aloud with a stopwatch for an accurate runtime and to test how the script sounds.

REPEAT THIS REVISION PROCESS UNTIL YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN YOU HAVE CORRECTED ERRORS AND HAVE AN ACCURATE, BRIEF, AND CLEAR NEWS STORY.

IF THE SCRIPT IS A READER/VO, VO/SOT, or VO/SOT with a BRIDGE, also follow these steps:

Do you have a chyron locator? Do you have appropriate B-ROLL which picture-points the script copy?

o Is it presented fairly and in context; and, is it free of manipulation beyond normal and ethical post-production procedures?

Does the script include copy that tries to prompt the viewer to look at the TV screen?

If using a soundbite, did you provide a chyron to identify the person on camera?

If using a Bridge, do you have a chyron identifying the reporter and station call letters?

Did you spell-check and proofread all of the CGs in your art order?

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