Abbreviations Shortened words in a news script. Abbreviations should be avoided in news copy, as they can confuse news anchors.
Accuracy Verifying a story’s truth by consulting multiple sources.
Active voice Writing style that focuses on the action rather than the receiver of the action.
Actuality Voices of people involved in a news story. Also called a sound bite.
Ad-libbing Ability to improvise an impromptu speech without preparation.
Advancing stories Finding new angles to update ongoing stories.
Affiliates Radio and TV stations serviced by networks.
Ambush interview Forcing someone to speak with you on camera against his or her will.
Anchor Someone who reads news on the TV set.
AP Associated Press, one of the major wire services.
Assignment board Dry erase board that lists stories, reporters, and details on individual news assignments.
Assignment desk Newsroom’s central hub that coordinates news coverage.
Assignment editor Newsperson who assigns stories to reporters and camera crews.
Associate producer Assistant to the line producer in creating the entire newscast or an individual news story.
Attribution Source of a news story.
Audio Sound used in a radio or TV newscast.
Back timing Timing of the final part of a broadcast to assist the newscaster or producer to get off the air on time.
Background briefings Government meetings in which reporters agree to keep the officials and agencies anonymous.
Balancing the anchors Ensuring that co-anchors roughly split the amount of time they have on camera.
Batteries Portable energy sources used to power cameras, microphones, and some portable lights.
Beat Assignment given to a reporter on a continuing basis.
Beat checks Phone calls made to local law enforcement agencies.
Bite See Sound bite.
Black Control track on a videotape. Also, a complete fade from a picture.
Blind lead-in General lead-in to a report from the field, used when you do not know what the reporter will say at the top of the report.
Block Segment of the newscast bordered by commercial breaks.
Blog Online diary created by a reporter for the news station’s website.
Box Used on rundowns to indicate that a picture, freeze-frame video, or graphic will appear in a box next to the anchor’s head.
Bridge Words that connect one piece of narration or sound bite to another.
B-roll Film term often still used to describe the use of video to cover an interview or narration. Sometimes referred to as cover footage.
Bulletin Important late-breaking news item.
Bump Short, generic headline delivered by anchors before commercials in a TV newscast to hold the audience’s attention.
Capital numbers Symbols on a computer keyboard created when the SHIFT key and a number key are pressed simultaneously.
Character generator Electronic device used to produce supers (fonts).
Chroma-key Electronic placement of pictures behind the newscaster.
Close Ending of a reporter’s news story.
Cluster Combination of related stories placed together in a newscast.
Cold open Beginning a news package with a sound bite instead of reporter’s narration.
Communication chain Video and audio information passed backwards and forwards between a newsroom and a field reporter.
Confidentiality Promise made by a reporter to keep a source’s name anonymous.
Conflict of interest When a journalist accepts gifts or favors from a news source.
Conjunctions Words that link sentences, parts of sentences, and even related news stories to one another.
Contractions Words that are shortened by omitting or combining letters.
Convergence Intersection of various forms of news delivery across media, such as via the Internet and broadcast outlets.
Conversational style Writing for the ear in short, declarative sentences.
Copy Material written for broadcast. Also, wire copy distributed by wire services.
Cosmetics Makeup used by on-set anchors and reporters.
Cover footage Video shot at the scene of a news story; used to replace the newsmaker and/or reporter while their voices are heard. Sometimes referred to as B-roll.
Crash Colloquialism for serious problems in a newscast.
Credibility Believability of a newscaster.
CU Abbreviation for close-up camera shot.
Cue words Words at the start and end of audiotape or videotape to identify how a sound bite begins and ends.
Cutaway Video shot used to avoid a jump cut.
Cutoff time Time when a reporter must leave the scene of a story in order to make broadcast.
Database Collection of information accessible to journalists.
Delayed lead Lead that places the most important information a few sentences into the script.
Delivery How a reporter or anchor presents the news with their individual speech patterns and physical gestures.
Descriptors Physical characteristics, such as age or race, that describe a person.
Digital audio Audio signals recorded, stored, or transmitted digitally.
Digital photography Computer images recorded, stored, or transmitted digitally.
Digital video Video signals recorded, stored, or transmitted digitally.
Dining table solution Telling the story in conversational sense as if you were speaking to your family around the dining table.
Direct competition Other news outlets of the same medium in the same market.
Directories Published lists of contact information, such as a phone book.
Dissolve Special video effect that slowly replaces one image on the screen with another.
DMA Designated market area, which defines media markets based on geographic areas.
Double-sourcing Confirming a story through two sources before airing on the news.
Downlinking Newsroom practice of receiving network or wire stories via satellite or Internet download.
Drive time Indicates the time of day when people are going to or coming from work. Usually the highest rated time period for radio stations.
Drone An aircraft without a human pilot aboard.
Earphones Small devices that transmit audible sound to the ears.
Enterprised stories News stories created by reporters outside of spontaneous or planned stories.
Establishing shot Wide shot of a scene, usually used at the beginning of a news story.
Evergreen Story, usually a feature, that can be used any time.
Executive producer Person responsible for the long-term look of the newscasts.
Fade Dissolve from a picture to black.
Fair comment Defense that may be offered in a libel suit when a comment is made that is unflattering to a public figure.
False light Juxtaposing audio and video to create a false impression of someone.
Feature event Event that can provide a kicker to a newscast.
Feeds Material distributed by networks and others to affiliates and other stations for use on local newscasts. Also known as syndication feeds.
Field producer Person responsible for the content of an individual news package.
Fill copy Also called pad copy. Relatively unimportant news copy for use near the end of the newscast if needed to fill time.
Filter Camera’s internal electronic or physical apparatus that corrects color temperature in a given shooting location.
Five Ws and H rule Journalism tradition that required the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a story to appear in or near the lead.
Flash Headline used by wire services to describe news of an extreme nature, such as the death of a president.
Font See Super.
Frame Segment of a videotape that lasts for 1/30th of a second.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Passed by Congress to permit access to all but the most sensitive government documents. Similar acts, called “sunshine laws,” have been established in all 50 states.
Freeze frame Still video image seen next to or behind the anchor while he or she is reading copy. Mostly used in a box next to the anchor’s head.
Futures file Folder or computer file used by the assignment desk to keep track of stories that may be covered in the future.
Gatekeeper Person who allows or denies a story to get on the air.
Grand opening Planned event featuring a new business or organization.
Graphics Graphs, photos, maps, and other visuals used in a TV news story or newscast.
Gratuities Gifts offered to journalists to sway their reporting on an issue.
Handheld microphone Audio capturing device that can be held by a reporter or affixed to a mount.
Hard lead Lead that places the most important information in the first sentence.
Headlines Series of one-line sentences describing news events. Used at the top of a newscast.
Hold for release Wire service story or press release that may not be used until the time specified.
HTML Hypertext markup language, the universal language used for the design of Internet websites.
Identifiers Title or position that identifies a person in a news story.
Immediacy Ability of electronic media to disseminate breaking news instantly.
Incident report Police report on a specific crime or incident.
Indirect competition Other news outlets of different media in the same market.
Information overload Putting too much information in a lead sentence or paragraph.
Internship A formal program that provides practical experience for beginners in a profession.
Interrupted feedback Return audio signal that allows the field reporter to hear questions from the news studio.
Interview Conversation between a reporter and someone from whom he or she seeks information.
Investigative reporting Developing news reports in depth, usually about something that someone is trying to hide.
Jump cut Erratic movement of a head that occurs when video is edited to eliminate some of a speaker’s words.
Kicker Light story used at the end of a newscast.
Lavaliere microphone Audio capturing device attached to clothing with a small clip.
Lead Opening line of a news story. Also refers to the first story in a newscast.
Lead-in Sentence that is read by the anchor that introduces a reporter’s news package.
Leading question Asking a question during an interview that tries to elicit information the reporter wants to hear.
Leaks Information from unidentified sources within the government, political, or corporate world.
Libel Publishing defamatory or inaccurate statements.
Licenses Government-issued permits for an individual or company to conduct business.
Line producer Person responsible for the content of an individual newscast.
Lineup Arrangement of stories in a newscast. Also called the rundown.
Listening Paying attention to the person being interviewed during a news story.
Live shot Reporting from the scene of a story as it is happening.
Local angle Details of a news story that are of special interest to the audience in your community.
Local news Stories dealing with your community.
Localization Developing distant news ideas into stories with local impact.
Long shot (LS) Wide view of the scene. See also Establishing shot.
Man-on-the-street interviews Interviews with random people in a public setting.
Market Geographic region served by broadcast affiliates.
Marking copy Revising a news script so it is easier for anchors to read on air.
Medium shot (MS) Between a close-up and long shot.
Meeting Assembly of people who may provide information for a news story.
Microwave Beaming a TV signal between two points using microwave antennas.
Minicam Lightweight video camera.
Mixed light Setting in which lights of different color temperatures are present.
Motor vehicle accident report Police report on a vehicle accident.
Natural sound Ambient noise of a location. Also called nat sound or room tone.
Negative lead Lead sentence that contains the word “not.” To be avoided.
Network Central news and programming business that provides content for its affiliate stations.
News director Person in charge of the news operation at a radio or TV station.
News hole Amount of time remaining in a newscast after commercials, bumps, teases, sports, weather, and other nonnews elements have been removed.
News judgment Ability to recognize the relative importance of news.
Noninteractive environment State of communicating one way without an immediate audience response.
Nonnews lead Beginning of a news story that conveys no information.
Numbers Quantifiable units often simplified or rounded for newscasts.
O/C Abbreviation for on camera.
Objectivity Neutrality about an issue.
Off the record Information that is given with the understanding that the reporter will not broadcast it on the air.
Outcue Last words in a sound bite.
Pacing Speed of a newscaster’s delivery.
Pack reporting Mindset where all reporters interview the same spokespeople.
Package Story put together by a reporter that includes interviews, narration, and cover footage.
Pad copy See Fill copy.
Passive voice Writing style that focuses on the receiver of the action rather than the action.
Peaks and valleys TV production technique that spreads important stories throughout a newscast, not only at the top.
Phone interviews Interviews conducted over the phone, usually by a radio station.
Phrasing Delivering a question to elicit a usable sound bite from the interviewee.
Planned stories News events and meetings scheduled in advance.
Podcasting News delivery method that allows the news audience to listen or watch the news content at their convenience.
Political campaign Series of events that lead up to an election.
Portal Website that links to news stories that originated at other websites.
Press conference Information-sharing session within a political, corporate, or civic context.
Primary sound Dominant sound of a news story, such as the reporter’s narration or an interview sound bite.
Prime time Time when radio and TV have their largest audiences.
Privacy Act Law designed to prevent unwarranted invasion of a person’s privacy.
Privilege Legal area in which a news report relays what was said in a legislative or judicial action. In these cases, the reporter has a defense against a libel action.
Producer Newsperson who decides which material will go into a newscast and in what order. Also, in larger markets, someone who helps reporters put together packages.
Pronunciation How sounds and words are articulated by newscasters.
Public information officer (PIO) Spokesperson for a governmental or law enforcement agency.
Punctuation marks Standard symbols used in written English.
Question lead Lead sentence that asks a question directly to the viewer.
Quotes Direct repeat of what a subject said by a news anchor. Rarely used in broadcast copy.
Reader Story without video read by an anchor on camera. Also, a radio story that contains no sound bites.
Records Official government or legal documents that may be used for news stories.
Reenactment To stage or perform an action if it was not obtained on video when it originally occurred.
Reporter’s notebook Slim notebook designed for portability.
Reuters British news agency.
Reversal Shot of the reporter looking at the person being interviewed; an editing device.
Reverse question Shot of the reporter repeating questions asked during the interview; an editing technique considered by some newspeople as somewhat unethical.
Rip and read Broadcasting of radio wire copy without any rewrite.
Room tone Ambient noise of a location. Also called natural (or nat) sound.
RTDNA Radio Television Digital News Association.
Rundown Spreadsheet that outlines the elements of the newscast, including stories, anchors, and running time.
Running story News story in which there are new developments, usually for more than one day.
Self-assessment An honest evaluation of what specific job you would like to pursue, what type of work environment is ideal for you, and what skillset you can readily bring to your new employer.
Sequence Collection of individual video shots recorded in one location and then edited into a segment of a news story.
Shotgun lead News story lead that includes information about more than one related story.
SIL Abbreviation for silent; used on the video side of a split page to indicate use of video that has no sound.
Slug Word or two written in the upper left corner of a script to identify the story.
Social network Interactive websites in which users offer personal information and viewpoints to others.
Soft lead Lead in which the most important fact is not given immediately.
SOT Abbreviation for sound on tape; used on the video side of a split page to indicate the video footage has sound.
Sound bite Portion of statement or interview that is in a news broadcast or package. Also known as a bite.
Sound under Keeping the natural sound low when used under the voice of a reporter or newscaster.
Source Someone who provides information used in a news story.
Split page Standard TV news script. The left side of the page is used for video directions, and the right side is for the script and audio cues.
Spontaneous stories News stories that occur without prior knowledge.
Sports Dedicated block in the newscast devoted to sports information.
Spot news Spontaneous, unscheduled events that warrant coverage in a newscast.
Stacking Placing stories in a newscast in the order they will be delivered.
Stand-up Report on camera at the scene. Can be an open (start of the story), bridge (middle of story), or close (end of story).
Subjectivity Advocating one side of an issue over another.
Sunshine laws Laws requiring that governmental meetings are announced in advance and are open to the press.
Super Also called a font. Short for superimposing lettering, graphics, or videotape. Used mostly for the names, addresses, and titles of people being identified in a news package or newscast.
Suspense lead Lead that keeps the most important part of the story until the very end.
Syndication Sale and distribution of news material to stations by independent companies and the networks.
Tag Sentence or two used by a reporter or anchor at the end of a story or newscast. Sometimes referred to as an on-camera tag.
Talking head Colloquial for person being interviewed on camera.
Tease Short headline that describes a story to follow a commercial. In TV, usually accompanied by a few seconds of the upcoming video story. More specific than a generic bump.
Teleprompter Electronic device that projects news scripts on monitors so they can be read by anchors. Also known as a prompter.
Time coding Digital marking of the hour, minute, second, and frame on each frame of video footage.
Timing Reading a story for time duration to make sure it fits into the newscast.
Toss Unscripted banter among news anchors to move the viewer’s focus to another speaker, such as the sportscaster.
Touch and go Writing technique that allows the reporter to reference the first shots of video before moving into other information.
Tough questions Questions that may put the interviewee on the defensive.
Trial balloon Government news tip designed to gauge public reaction.
Triple-sourcing Confirming a story through three sources before airing on the news.
Tripod Three-legged camera mount.
Trivia lead Lead sentence that uses a bit of obscure information to interest the viewer.
Truth Verified or indisputable fact.
Two-shot Camera shot of two people.
Update New details in a news story that require a rewrite.
Uplinking Newsroom practice of sending stories to a network or wire service via satellite or Internet upload.
Urgent Wire service term indicating an important story, but not as important as a bulletin or flash story.
Videotape Physical medium used to record video and audio signals.
Voiceover (V/O) Used on the left-hand side of a split page to indicate that the anchor is speaking over video. Also indicates a reporter narrating over cover footage.
Voiceover sound-on-tape (VOSOT) News story that incorporates cover footage and a sound bite but not the reporter’s narration.
Voice track To prerecord a number of news breaks in a row, allowing them to be inserted into the program as desired.
VTR Abbreviation for videotape recording.
Warming up Bantering with the interviewee before the actual interview begins.
Weather Dedicated block in the newscast devoted to weather information. Often abbreviated as WX in newsrooms.
White balance Adjusting a camera’s circuitry to read white (and thus all other colors) correctly.
Wire News services provided by AP, CNN, Reuters, and other organizations.
Wrap To complete work on a story. Also short for wraparound, in which a reporter’s voice is heard at the beginning and end of a sound bite.
Writing from the back Used primarily in radio, this occurs when journalists write the last stories in the newscast first, as later stories will not require updating before the newscast airs.
WS Abbreviation for wide camera shot.