Outstanding reporter packages contain five key elements. These concepts make material more relevant to viewers and inject a higher degree of storytelling into the package. The result – more dynamic and memorable reports.
A shift has occurred over the years in what defines a good reporter package. The premium placed on live reports (most of which diminish the value of “live”) has stripped the storytelling concept from most reports. Nearly all live reports feature a canned, formulaic approach with opening standup, followed by a soundbite and then reporter close. Compelling storytelling is overlooked in these efforts. However, it’s also disappeared even when a reporter has the “luxury” of crafting a story at the edit station.
Compelling reporter packages contain the following five elements. They add atmosphere and impact to a package. The report becomes informative and entertaining at the same time. In short, the report is memorable.
1. Natural sound
Nothing is more disconcerting to a viewer than to see a person banging on a drum and not hear it. The power of television to marry pictures with sound is what separates it from other news vehicles such as radio, newspapers, and magazines. Ignore adding natural sound and you’re going into a gunfight without bullets. Yes, it’s harder to do, but it’s worth it.
2. Reporter Humanity
Reporters often forget they’re people, too, and witnesses to events. Sometimes this fact calls for a human reaction to what is seen on tape – even for a reporter. This reaction is not a call to inject opinion or bias, but rather to show viewers the “humanity” involved in a situation. One of the best reporter packages I’ve ever seen featured a story on how thousands of bats helped a farmer grow apples without pesticides.
In one scene the reporter stood on a porch and looked upwards. It was then that she and viewers saw hundreds of bats staring back at her. She gasped ‘Oh, gosh”.
Perfectly understandable and expected by viewers. Who wouldn’t have reacted that way? Never be afraid of showing that you’re human when the situaton warrants.
3. Reporter Involvement
You’re the tour guide of your story. Sometimes transitions are necessary and sometimes illustrations are key to viewer understanding. Help the viewer in these situations without becoming the center of attention. Let the viewer know that you own the story.
4. Personalization
Strive to tell stories by personalizing the subject. People relate to people (and their story), not abstract concepts or offical gobbledygook. Crafting a personal story to explain events takes practice and insight, but the end results are highly rewarding. Best of all, viewers find them relevant because they have meaning.
Let’s return to the report on bats mentioned in the “Reporter Humanity” section above. The reporter could have easily prepared a package about a cave that housed 20 million bats. The sheer number of bats was staggering and could easily justify the focus of a report.
The likely result? A somewhat interesting piece, but one that would lack “take away” for viewers other than the simple curiosity factor.
Give this reporter credit for taking the extra step to personalize her topic. She showcased a nearby farmer who grew apples that were free of pesticides because the bats feasted on insects. She also explained how this farmer lived without air conditioning, content to leave his windows open, because the bats cleared the area of insects.
The reporter had done an outstanding job of personalizing her topic. The package became a personal story about a farmer who established a beneficial connection with these animals rather than an effort that focused solely on bats. The end result provided a richer, more compelling, take on the subject.
5. Translate Statistics into Viewer Benefits
Numbers, especially big ones, are difficult for people to put into context. Tossing out figures without giving viewers a frame of reference conveys next to nothing. Your job is to give numbers meaning.
Let’s revisit the “bat story” mentioned above. Twenty million is a big number that has little context to most people. Have you ever seen, heard or felt, twenty million of anything?
So, how can viewers make any sense of the fact that a cave houses twenty million bats? What does it mean?
Remember how the reporter personalized the story. The package used a farmer and his pesticide free orchard to show the impact of the bats. The report also illustrated how the farmer used the insect eating bats to keep his home windows open and avoid the use of air conditioning.
The abstract concept of twenty million bats was translated into a lifestyle benefit for a certain farmer. Twenty million became a number that had meaning and tangible value.
Make sure your reports give “life” and value to statistics.
Not all stories lend themselves to including each of these five elements. Use the above as a checklist for developing your packages. Your job is to incorporate as many as possible. The more you use, the more dynamic and effective your report becomes.
