NEWS DOESN’T HAPPEN IN THE NEWSROOM

Chandra Clark, Ph.D.

The University of Alabama

Wanted: Assignment Editors

Assignment Editors Need:• Excellent Phone Skills • Decision Making Ability• Tolerance and Understanding

Source: Bob Papper (2010) RTNDA/Hofstra University Annual Survey

Time Crunch: 5 pm News

Assignment Editor Exercise: • Created with the help of a colleague who was

an assignment editor for 10 years in 2 markets• Give students a deadline of an hour before

newscast starts• Based off a “real” news day in the

Birmingham/Tuscaloosa news market• Build a newsroom competition by creating

teams of 3-4 to battle ideas off each other• We call these “Spot News Fridays”

News Crew & Shift

PHOTOGRAPHERS: • GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS 9A-6P (HAS TO LEAVE

AT 400P, WIFE IN LABOR) • WOLF BLITZER 8A-5P (CAMERA BREAKS AT 3PM)• DIANE SAWYER 4:00P-12:00A• BRIAN WILLIAMS 3P-11P

REPORTERS:• MATT LAUER 930A-630P• KATIE CURIC 3P-11P

Available Equipment

• 1 ENG LIVE TRUCK (ONLY PHOTOGRAPHER CAN OPERATE)

• 1 SNG LIVE TRUCK (SAT OPERATOR ON DUTY)• 1 TOWER CAMERA (HIGHWAY CAM)• 1 NEWS CAR FOR EACH PHOTOGRAPHER. 1 CAMERA

FOR EACH PHOTOGRAPHER.•  

Spot News Friday• *3:00PM: A PROPANE TANKER TRUCK EXPLOSION ON INTERSTATE 20/59.

NEAR MCFARLAND BLVD EXIT. NEWS DEPARTMENT TOWER CAMERA IS NEARBY.

• *3:00PM: THREE BODIES FOUND ON UA CAMPUS. YOU HEAR IT’S NEAR BRYANT DENNY STADIUM. POLICE ARE NOT YET ON SCENE.

 • *3:30PM: NEWS CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF U OF A’S HEAD

FOOTBALL COACH. NO OTHER INFO IS RELEASED. YOU HEAR RUMORS NICK SABAN WILL BE FIRED.

• * 4:00PM: RESCUE CREWS RESPOND TO A SHOOTING ON 15TH STREET. NOT SURE IF TODDLER IS INVOLVED, DISPATCHERS NOT TALKING.

• *2:00PM: POLICE SCANNER REPORTS A STUDENT FIRED SHOTS INSIDE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL GYM. CAN’T CONFIRM BY PHONE

• *5:00PM: TUSCALOOSA MAYOR’S STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS.

5 pm RundownSlug/Story Order

Event Time Story Type(vo, vo/b, live, pkg)

Equipment/Vehicle

Photographer/Reporter

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What They Learn• Time Management Skills• Logistical Thinking• Think out of the box• Call employees in early• Learn how to double and triple tease at the start of a newscast• Think about what story impacts your audience first• Utilize other employees• Get interns to help out• Use producers/videographers to report when reporter can’t• Do phoners with citizens or people on the scene• Call a cab to deliver someone to the scene• Report what people are saying on social media

What I Learn• Students do not understand it’s a good paying job• Students need to understand they will be working

with an assignment editor• Students learn to respect logistics • Students learn how they will be making decisions

that affect the entire newscast• Students find out to be nice to the assignment

editor at all costs; they can make or break you