Lee Desty: Editor BBC South Today WINOL De-Brief Week 2

BBC South Today’s Editor Lee Desty visited WINOL during our second week of production. His direct approach and attention to detail helped me too gage an important understanding of how televised news works in a local BBC environment and how they do procedures differently to us. In general the week felt chaotic and organization felt unruly. Indeed, the smooth nature of work previously produced seemed to have disappeared, however the basis for success looked as though it was ready to act as a stepping stone for more fruitful WINOL bulletins in the coming weeks.

Editorial Points post bulletin:-

Homeless Funding Story: Use of natural sound worked, but a possible case for juxtaposition libel as not all buskers strumming a guitar can be classed as homeless people. They are two separate individuals. The positioning of the interview was strange and is a simple point for correctness in an otherwise good piece of initiative for a story.

- Spending Cut Studio Chat: Julie looked good and came across very well on camera, however I thought the studio two way was slightly out of context with the previous story, and the news asserted derived from a national angle – meaning there were no Winchester related extracts really specific to the viewer.

- Crime Story: Script told the story very well, and PTC was strong if not too long. General views are limited but creativeness is needed there.
- Higher Train Fares: An issue affecting a lot of people, including a vast percentage of our viewers, but the story did not feel localised and it felt like it was missing a strong local selling point; particularly with the higher rail fares not fully coming into play as yet.

- Unison (On the Day): My Piece to camera was too long, too close and my movement on camera was distracting. I enjoyed turning around a story on the day though even if I was short for time.

- ‘And Finally’ story (departing Bishop of Winchester): Interview was good, could have done with a bit more emotion and for the Bishop to talk about his views, ex role and future. GV’s were lacklustre. Needed shots of the Bishop doing things and not additional shots of objects which did not relate to the story, but an overall good ending to the news section of the bulletin.

- Sport: WINOL Champagne award: the initiative was great, but not sold to its full selling point. The basketball interview with the team’s captain was strange (as the interviewee was holding a basket ball – would Kevin Pietersen hold a cricket bat in every interview?).

Lee Desty Analysis

- The Director of the bulletin needs to have time to go through the script before the programme airs.

- Zapper Mentality: The headline sequence needs to be recorded and hold the viewer. If it doesn’t you can have your audience switching off extremely quickly. Your best shots and images need to be used at the top of the show to maintain the audience.

- The importance for light and shade in a bulletin. Although top quality journalism always remains top quality journalism – fluffy, and finally pieces are more memorable generally.

- BBC South Today Headline Formula: Normally 4 headlines: 2 hard/2 soft and a powerful piece of actuality which draws in viewers.

- The viewer needs to buy into your story, hence you need to sell it well.
- One lasting piece of advice by Lee was if you haven’t got a great opening shot you are struggling for a story.

- Grab the viewer with the top story.

- My PTC- avoid use of the subsidiary clause – feels as though you are going to draw the PTC to a close and then you continue to explain. The average PTC length should be 10-20 seconds. Should only be longer if you are lacking in pictures for a court report.

- The reporter needs to believe the story, there needs to be a sense of conviction in telling the story – keep to 3/4 points.

- You can look down at your notes – but make it clear you are. Have the notepad for a few seconds at least in shot, deliberately show to the viewer.

- News and Sport divide big: keep sport to a minimum of three minutes as sport divides audience and people can switch off.

Find the bulletin (in two parts) on the below links:

http://www.youtube.com/user/winolnews#p/u/6/Zaz-8FcaSlg

http://www.youtube.com/user/winolnews#p/u/5/cYpespcx7uY