Tax credis for hybrids. With oil near $100 per barrel, people are thinking more about hybrids. Credits vary according to the make & model. Which car gets you the most back from the IRS? (Meanwhile, anyone out there driving a hybrid news car?)
You Tube Election? More and more candidates are advertising online and raising money that way. Might be interesting to look back at this week's election and see which successful candidates used the Internet effectively. Supposedly John McCain gets three dollars back for every dollar he spends on the net.
Online airfare war. Priceline cuts its booking fee... will others follow suit? This has gotta hurt travel agents even more.
Health story. With the time change and people getting less sunlight, you get less Vitamin D naturally. Should people take supplements?
Save the earth; eat more chocolate. Apparently someone figured out that the byproducts of chocolate production can be turned into a bio fuel. Fill'er up with Hershey's, please.
Just an observation... haven't seen a kid on a bicycle in quite awhile. Have parents become such chauffeurs that kids don't ride bikes anymore? Will high gas prices make parents encourage their little darlings to provide their own transportation?
Writer's strike. So what will people do without TV? (Oh my, will kids actually go outside and play? Will people pick up a book and read?) What industries stand to gain?
Sports story (for later on in sweeps.) The NFL network is carried primarily by satellite companies, and two big games loom on the horizon. Dallas-Green Bay on November 29th, and Giants-Patriots on the final week of the season. Be interesting if the Pats had a perfect season and hardly anyone could see it. There's a move to get people to cancel their cable and switch to satellite.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
Tuesday's story ideas
Exploding comet visible to the naked eye. Just something neat to tell your viewers. Send a photog out at night to shoot it. Talk to local astronomer.
Flight delays. Even though the on-time rate improved in the most recent report, it's still nothing to write home about. Do a consumer piece on how to avoid delays. (Take the first flight, book only non-stops when you can, use regional airports instead of major hubs when you can.)
Health piece. Lung cancer gene identified.
Tech story. Google to release its own phone. Will it rival the I-Phone, and how might it be different?
Bush threatens farm bill veto. How will this affect agriculture in your market?
Hiding the hearing loss stigma. New hearing aids are starting to look remarkably like those wireless cell phone earpieces. Will this make younger people who might not want a hearing aid change their minds? And while you're at it, why are so many young people experiencing hearing loss?
Classes for divorcing parents. With so many children having to deal with shared custody, some communities are offering counseling on raising kids as normally as possible.
Don't flush unused meds. Due to environmental concerns, some communities are implementing programs that allow citizens to turn in their leftover prescription drugs.
Got a story idea? Share it with the rest of the class.
Flight delays. Even though the on-time rate improved in the most recent report, it's still nothing to write home about. Do a consumer piece on how to avoid delays. (Take the first flight, book only non-stops when you can, use regional airports instead of major hubs when you can.)
Health piece. Lung cancer gene identified.
Tech story. Google to release its own phone. Will it rival the I-Phone, and how might it be different?
Bush threatens farm bill veto. How will this affect agriculture in your market?
Hiding the hearing loss stigma. New hearing aids are starting to look remarkably like those wireless cell phone earpieces. Will this make younger people who might not want a hearing aid change their minds? And while you're at it, why are so many young people experiencing hearing loss?
Classes for divorcing parents. With so many children having to deal with shared custody, some communities are offering counseling on raising kids as normally as possible.
Don't flush unused meds. Due to environmental concerns, some communities are implementing programs that allow citizens to turn in their leftover prescription drugs.
Got a story idea? Share it with the rest of the class.
Mailbag
Dear Grapevine,
Is it true that no one gets hired during sweeps? I've got my tape ready to go but don't want it sitting on a News Director's desk for a month. Should I wait?
-Promptergirl
Dear Promptergirl,
People do occasionally find jobs during sweeps, but the hiring process generally gets put on hold. In the case of November, you can often add December into the mix as people get caught up in the holidays. However, NDs will sometimes start looking in December to hire in January. Start of a new year, new budget, and they're getting ready for February sweeps.
I'd wait till the end of this book before sending out tapes, unless you see an actual job opening.
Dear Sir,
I'll keep this short and sweet. How do I find a good agent?
-J.D.
Dear J.D.,
I'll keep this short and simple. Talk to their clients. You can ask an agent for references, or check those "moving on" notices on tvjobs.com, which usually list representation.
A good agent is accessible, excited about your talent, and one with a good track record.
And by the way, getting an agent is no guarantee of getting a job. Agents get your foot in the door, but your tape still has to make the short list.
Is it true that no one gets hired during sweeps? I've got my tape ready to go but don't want it sitting on a News Director's desk for a month. Should I wait?
-Promptergirl
Dear Promptergirl,
People do occasionally find jobs during sweeps, but the hiring process generally gets put on hold. In the case of November, you can often add December into the mix as people get caught up in the holidays. However, NDs will sometimes start looking in December to hire in January. Start of a new year, new budget, and they're getting ready for February sweeps.
I'd wait till the end of this book before sending out tapes, unless you see an actual job opening.
Dear Sir,
I'll keep this short and sweet. How do I find a good agent?
-J.D.
Dear J.D.,
I'll keep this short and simple. Talk to their clients. You can ask an agent for references, or check those "moving on" notices on tvjobs.com, which usually list representation.
A good agent is accessible, excited about your talent, and one with a good track record.
And by the way, getting an agent is no guarantee of getting a job. Agents get your foot in the door, but your tape still has to make the short list.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Monday's story ideas
Well, it's green week on NBC, so if you work for an affiliate you might as well localize it. Do something at your station to save energy. (Hardwire all the mikes. Do all the standups in sunlight. Turn off the lights in the editing booths. Find a story you can do without using a news car. Ditch the curling iron. Don't do meaningless live shots for your late newscast where nothing is going on.) Challenge your viewers to do something as well.
Election preps. If you're in a market that has elections this year, check out the candidates' last minute tactics. Are phone banks out of vogue since the arrival of the "do not call" list? Are candidates still going door to door?
Time change walkers. Get this... people who walk after dinner are three times more likely to be killed by a car during standard time. Because it's... uh... dark. So wear bright colors or something reflective.
Holiday airline travel. Booked your flight for Turkey Day yet? Check out the rates. Yikes. My usual $250 flight to NYC is close to $500 this year. Check with a travel agent to help find what few bargains might be out there.
Internet cigarette bill. A congressman will introduce a bill today to ban tax-free Internet cigarette sales. A study showed that some terrorist organizations have used this tactic to raise money.
With all the phobia about killer germs these days, are schools changing their cleaning regimen? How are school nurses keeping up? FYI, children are being taught not to sneeze into their hands, but their elbows.
(Thanks to Georgia Gal for that idea.)
Got some good story ideas? Share 'em.
Election preps. If you're in a market that has elections this year, check out the candidates' last minute tactics. Are phone banks out of vogue since the arrival of the "do not call" list? Are candidates still going door to door?
Time change walkers. Get this... people who walk after dinner are three times more likely to be killed by a car during standard time. Because it's... uh... dark. So wear bright colors or something reflective.
Holiday airline travel. Booked your flight for Turkey Day yet? Check out the rates. Yikes. My usual $250 flight to NYC is close to $500 this year. Check with a travel agent to help find what few bargains might be out there.
Internet cigarette bill. A congressman will introduce a bill today to ban tax-free Internet cigarette sales. A study showed that some terrorist organizations have used this tactic to raise money.
With all the phobia about killer germs these days, are schools changing their cleaning regimen? How are school nurses keeping up? FYI, children are being taught not to sneeze into their hands, but their elbows.
(Thanks to Georgia Gal for that idea.)
Got some good story ideas? Share 'em.
You can learn a lot from A-Rod
If you're a sports fan, you no doubt know the story of Alex Rodriguez, who decided to "opt out" of a contract with the Yankees. Obviously, he and his agent felt they could do better than the 81 million left on his deal.
The problem was the way they conducted business. Regardless of whether they get more money, A-Rod has taken a major hit in the image department. The average fan wonders, "How much is enough?" It brings to mind the line in the movie Wall Street, when Charlie Sheen asks Michael Douglas, "How many yachts can you water ski behind?"
How does greed relate to television? Well, sometimes overestimating your worth can cost you. And sometimes an agent can push a little too hard.
It recalls a story I heard awhile ago from an anchor who had been in a market for many years. The anchor's agent was negotiating a new contract, and apparently asked for so much money and so many perks that the News Director rescinded what, looking back, was a very good offer. The anchor ended up having to move to another market, and made less money.
The lesson here is two-fold. First, no one is irreplaceable. Second, if you have an agent, make sure you are both on the same page.
When I was an ND, I dealt with very nice agents and those who wanted to play hardball. At one point a hardball agent was asking for so much, and with an attitude that his client was the only person in the universe who could do the job. Finally, I got tired of dealing with someone who wasn't even open to negotiation and hired someone else.
As for your own personal value, well, it is always subjective. But if you're going to play high stakes poker, you'd better be ready in case the station calls your bluff.
I once worked with an anchor who thought she was worth a small fortune and decided to go over the head of the ND and demand a large raise from the GM. The ND had told her (honestly) that such a raise wasn't in the budget, but she marched down the hall to the GM's office and said, "I need to make twenty thousand dollars more next year."
The GM, replying with one of the better lines I've ever heard from management, said, "Then get a second job."
The problem was the way they conducted business. Regardless of whether they get more money, A-Rod has taken a major hit in the image department. The average fan wonders, "How much is enough?" It brings to mind the line in the movie Wall Street, when Charlie Sheen asks Michael Douglas, "How many yachts can you water ski behind?"
How does greed relate to television? Well, sometimes overestimating your worth can cost you. And sometimes an agent can push a little too hard.
It recalls a story I heard awhile ago from an anchor who had been in a market for many years. The anchor's agent was negotiating a new contract, and apparently asked for so much money and so many perks that the News Director rescinded what, looking back, was a very good offer. The anchor ended up having to move to another market, and made less money.
The lesson here is two-fold. First, no one is irreplaceable. Second, if you have an agent, make sure you are both on the same page.
When I was an ND, I dealt with very nice agents and those who wanted to play hardball. At one point a hardball agent was asking for so much, and with an attitude that his client was the only person in the universe who could do the job. Finally, I got tired of dealing with someone who wasn't even open to negotiation and hired someone else.
As for your own personal value, well, it is always subjective. But if you're going to play high stakes poker, you'd better be ready in case the station calls your bluff.
I once worked with an anchor who thought she was worth a small fortune and decided to go over the head of the ND and demand a large raise from the GM. The ND had told her (honestly) that such a raise wasn't in the budget, but she marched down the hall to the GM's office and said, "I need to make twenty thousand dollars more next year."
The GM, replying with one of the better lines I've ever heard from management, said, "Then get a second job."
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