BROADCAST JOURNALISM
Video creation works just like writing a story. I gather the B-roll like I gather anecdotes and I conduct the interviews just like I'd do with any other story — the real power with this area of journalism is that it comes with visuals and audio.
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My biggest challenge with broadcast journalism has been how to engage a mostly-teenage audience. I recognize social media is where most of our audience goes to find their information, so while I've worked with long live streams, I also value social media broadcast reporting.
VIDEOGRAPHY IMPROVEMENT
Just like anything else I've tried on this publication, I'm never perfect the first time. Through critiques and practice, here are a few videos I've made and the things I learned from each.
CREATIVITY IN CAKE DECORATING
This was my first journalistic feature video on a baker at my school. Though my hands shook while filming and my mom had to drop me off, I learned the amount of time it takes to film B-roll and what the best angle for an interview is. After placing third in the KSPA Monthly Contest, I received a critique that told me to include my own commentary to carry the story instead of just listening to the person being featured, so I made that change for my next video.
ONE OF A KIND
To improve from my first video, I added a voiceover for this feature package on a senior basketball player and dancer. This taught me what it felt like to fearlessly film in a public setting, and I got out of my comfort zone to get the B-roll shots I needed and interview the necessary people.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE CAFFETTERIA
Once again stepping out of my comfort zone, this video required me to interview a professional business owner about her new location that opened right near my school. I spent hours parading around the restaurant to get the perfect shots for B-roll, and I was proud of how the final product turned out.
LIVE SPORTS COMMENTATING
Below is a few minutes of footage from a soccer broadcast I commentated on last fall. Since I don't have much athletic experience, I researched key soccer terms and information that would be beneficial to the viewers like how the team did last year, when their next game is and when the state tournament is. This game was also senior night, so I made sure to shoutout the seniors and recognize their hard work.
SOCIAL MEDIA SPORTS BROADCAST COVERAGE
Teenagers are known for their short attention spans, and most of my peers don't sit through the hour-long livestreams for sports games. Instead, they head to our social media pages for coverage. Here are some examples of posts I've made during athletic events:
TWITTER UPDATES
Our Harbinger Sports Live Twitter account is specifically for people who want typed-out updates during an East game. To the right are some examples of updates I've done at a soccer game and a football game. I also make sure to shout out our live broadcast so they can watch that if they choose to.
INSTAGRAM STORY CONTENT
Our Instagram stories typically get around 800-1000 views, so posting updates about sports games keeps our audience informed each time. When I'm responsible for the Instagram story during a game, I consistently move around to get the best shot for a quick update or interview. Although these stories are not pre-planned or edited, they provide an entertaining inside scoop of the game.
