Reporter's checklist

A whole bunch of you need this:

Putting as many elements as possible into your package can make it more interesting and move it along at a faster clip. It’s important to think about all the possibilities as you arrive at your location. (Better yet, think about this stuff before you leave the station.)

This is a checklist to help you see the elements that are possible:

-Are you covering both sides of the story, and interviewing more than one person?

-Have you looked for a third side of the story to show another point of view? With that in mind, what are other points of view that you can think of... and who might you talk with to illustrate them?

-What are the natural sound opportunities for this story?

-What video would best illustrate the story?

-Do you have a compelling opening shot or piece of nat sound to begin the package?

-Do you have an interesting clip that would make a good tease for the producer?

-Does the story have a lot of numbers, and should you use a graphic to make it easier to understand?

-What standup would illustrate the story best, and “show” what is going on?

-Are you “showing” the viewer what’s going on rather than just “telling” the story?

-Is your b-roll interesting, or just static shots of inanimate objects?

-Can you shoot everything at one location, or would going to more locations make my story more interesting?

-Have you written to the video, the natural sound, and the sound bites?

-Have you written an anchor intro that is different than the first line of your package?