Despite the fact that it was only our second attempt to produce the News bulletin, the news room felt like a tense workplace with the strictest deadlines in the world.
This time our team of reporters produced a higher variety of Video News packages which was an incredible achievement. The atmosphere felt tense but professional, editors had everything under control. We took the previous weeks feedback onboard and began showing more understanding and appreciation towards each others’ roles. Everyone turned up on time and editors could rely on spare reporters covering breaking news or support for other departments.
“We can do more for less” – 3rd Local Transport Plan launched for Hampshire
This time story did not go on air!
This week I researched a topic from a press release about launching a 3rd Local Transport Plan on 2nd November 2009. I decided to find out whether the plan is looking to bring a successful changes to Hampshire transport, what sort of improvements were going to be proposed and how would the council ensure of reducing Carbon Dioxide emissions to not only improve the quality of life for residents but also maintain environment preparing for the climate change. In order to find the answers I Video-interviewed Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Councillor Mellvile Kendal.
I found it quite challenging to find a right angle to produce a good Video package for our bulletin and I believe that, it effected in the story not being put on air. This week I was also competing against quite a few better stories and eventually I didn’t win my time on air and my story was turned into a 20sec nib which was read by a presenter. A valuable part in my package was excellent cut-aways and fillers of trains which I filmed on the purposes of producing a package.
The idea from the previous week about Figures of Unemployment in Winchester was edited by my colleague Maddline(investigative reporter for WINOL) and also turned into a 20sec nib. Both the nibs took part in the bulletin, however due to technical problems neccesary cuts had to be done and a lot of material was lost when putting it onto the website.
My first exper
ience of having to put a lot of effort and time to producing a Video package and turning out not to be strong enough to be fully on air was quite a valuable lesson. In a week full of good stories we have to be fully aware of the strength of our story and be able to “sell it to our editor” gaining as much time on air as possible. However, also although the story may not be strong, the package was ready within the deadline and waiting as a backup just in case something goes wrong- and this sort of Video packages are also important even though, eventually they will be turned into nib or not used at all.Disappointment and hurt pride will hit quite strongly but that is how the weak stories will be dealt with in the real work place so we need to learn how to face it and find further motivation to carry on despite the failure and prove to deserve a place within a team next time and learning from past mistakes. Working in a newsroom demands incredible stress management skills and always leaves room for improvements.
