The Green Valley News & Sun has gone Hollywood
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The Green Valley News & Sun has gone Hollywood. Well, not quite, but members of the news staff are finding themselves in front of the camera a lot more often.
The paper has committed to twice-weekly brief broadcasts that cover sports, features and news. The broadcasts are under three minutes and hit on local headlines. Like a traditional news broadcast, they do not offer comprehensive information. Each broadcasts starts out with a few lines about the sponsor and ends with a reminder to read the paper and get more on the web site.
The reporters have had no problem with the transition, though we continue to work out sound and lighting issues. We're using a small, personal video camera on a tripod (a must), do no editing. Uploading to the site is quick and relatively painless. The entire process takes about a half-hour.
Reporters are learning to write in broadcast style, and have learned that not all information translates well on film (phone numbers and addresses, for example). Keep it short and simple, and push people to the online story is the way to go.