Exercise 1
Skill Building--Converting Copy

In this exercise, you'll practice converting broadcast copy for the web.

As you know, many print and broadcast journalists are now required to file a web version of their stories in addition to whatever they're doing for the air or in the newspaper. Doing a good job for all media means journalists must think a little differently in the field and as they sit down to write.

During the reporting process, they should be thinking about how they will enhance the story online--asking themselves questions like: Can I link people to additional content for this story? Is there a still photo, a graphic, or a video frame grab that helps visualize this story? Are there documents or data that could help people understand the story?

For broadcast journalists, the writing process is complicated by the fact that the video often does some of the talking. For example, you don't have to say, "The witness had tears streaming down her face" if the video clearly shows that. However, in the web version, that type of detail adds interest and should be included in the text.

Using the checklist for converting copy from your text beginning in Chapter 7, read the following TV news script from WSPA in Spartanburg, South Carolina:

SOUTH CAROLINA HAS CHANGED THE INCENTIVES IT OFFERS TO MOVIE PRODUCERS TO GET THEM TO FILM HERE IN OUR STATE ... AND IT ALMOST COST THE STATE A T-V SERIES BEING SHOT IN CHARLESTON.

THE PRODUCERS OF "ARMY WIVES" THREATENED TO MOVE OUT OF STATE ... TAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE STATE ECONOMY.

CAPITAL REPORTER ROBERT KITTLE TELLS US WHAT THE CHANGE WILL MEAN FOR THE MANY MOVIES THAT ARE SHOT HERE.

[TAKE PKG
DURATION:1:12]
{***TAKE PKG***}
[CG :SHW\Movie Incentives]
[CG at 0:24:TALENT\Robert Kittle\rkittle@wspa.com]

THE PRODUCERS OF A T-V SERIES ON LIFETIME CALLED "ARMY WIVES" ALMOST RETREATED ... AFTER THE STATE CHANGED THE INCENTIVES IT GIVES TO FILMS SHOT HERE.

BUT THE SERIES -WILL- CONTINUE TO BE SHOT IN CHARLESTON ... AFTER THE STATE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT ASSURED PRODUCERS THAT THE CHANGE APPLIES ONLY TO FILMS THAT ARE HERE FOR JUST A FEW MONTHS ... AND DOES -NOT- APPLY TO T-V SERIES.

(Robert Kittle)
"As an incentive to movie makers, the state gives them a cash rebate of 20 percent of the wages they pay crew members. Other states offer tax credits, so producers don't get their money back for months. But the state is changing the rebate so producers get 20 percent back -only- for in-state employees. For people they hire from out of state, the rebate will now be only 10 percent."

THE GOAL IS TO CREATE MORE JOBS FOR SOUTH CAROLINIANS.

THE QUESTION IS WHETHER LOWERING THE INCENTIVE WILL LOWER THE NUMBER OF MOVIES SHOT HERE.

COMMERCE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN KARA BORIE SAYS THE STATE CERTAINLY HOPES NOT.

SHE SAYS EVEN WITH THE LOWER REBATE FOR OUT-OF-STATE WORKERS ... SOUTH CAROLINA IS STILL IN THE TOP TEN NATIONWIDE FOR INCENTIVES IT OFFERS MOVIE MAKERS ... AND IS STILL NUMBER ONE IN THE SOUTHEAST.

IN COLUMBIA, ROBERT KITTLE, NEWS CHANNEL 7.

TAKE: PLASMA- Movie Incentives (7OYS Statehouse Watch)]
[Anchor:CONNIE]
{***CONNIE SPORTS PLASMA TAG***}
[ReadRate:17]

BESIDES CREW MEMBERS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA ... THAT 20-PERCENT WAGE REBATE ALSO APPLIES TO STUNT PERFORMERS ... -AND- MOVIE STARS ... AS LONG AS THEY MAKE LESS THAN ONE-MILLION DOLLARS ... EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.

It should be obvious that a simple cut-and-paste of this story would not work well online. Read through the script again, when you're ready to start writing your own headline and text, move to the next section.

TV News Script

Now, reread the script and write your own web headline and web copy.

SOUTH CAROLINA HAS CHANGED THE INCENTIVES IT OFFERS TO MOVIE PRODUCERS TO GET THEM TO FILM HERE IN OUR STATE ... AND IT ALMOST COST THE STATE A T-V SERIES BEING SHOT IN CHARLESTON.

THE PRODUCERS OF "ARMY WIVES" THREATENED TO MOVE OUT OF STATE ... TAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE STATE ECONOMY.

CAPITAL REPORTER ROBERT KITTLE TELLS US WHAT THE CHANGE WILL MEAN FOR THE MANY MOVIES THAT ARE SHOT HERE.

[TAKE PKG
DURATION:1:12]
{***TAKE PKG***}
[CG :SHW\Movie Incentives]
[CG at 0:24:TALENT\Robert Kittle\rkittle@wspa.com]

THE PRODUCERS OF A T-V SERIES ON LIFETIME CALLED "ARMY WIVES" ALMOST RETREATED ... AFTER THE STATE CHANGED THE INCENTIVES IT GIVES TO FILMS SHOT HERE.

BUT THE SERIES -WILL- CONTINUE TO BE SHOT IN CHARLESTON ... AFTER THE STATE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT ASSURED PRODUCERS THAT THE CHANGE APPLIES ONLY TO FILMS THAT ARE HERE FOR JUST A FEW MONTHS ... AND DOES -NOT- APPLY TO T-V SERIES.

(Robert Kittle)

"As an incentive to movie makers, the state gives them a cash rebate of 20 percent of the wages they pay crew members. Other states offer tax credits, so producers don't get their money back for months. But the state is changing the rebate so producers get 20 percent back -only- for in-state employees. For people they hire from out of state, the rebate will now be only 10 percent."

THE GOAL IS TO CREATE MORE JOBS FOR SOUTH CAROLINIANS.

THE QUESTION IS WHETHER LOWERING THE INCENTIVE WILL LOWER THE NUMBER OF MOVIES SHOT HERE.

COMMERCE DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN KARA BORIE SAYS THE STATE CERTAINLY HOPES NOT.

SHE SAYS EVEN WITH THE LOWER REBATE FOR OUT-OF-STATE WORKERS ... SOUTH CAROLINA IS STILL IN THE TOP TEN NATIONWIDE FOR INCENTIVES IT OFFERS MOVIE MAKERS ... AND IS STILL NUMBER ONE IN THE SOUTHEAST.

IN COLUMBIA, ROBERT KITTLE, NEWS CHANNEL 7.

[TAKE: PLASMA- Movie Incentives (7OYS Statehouse Watch)]
[Anchor:CONNIE]
{***CONNIE SPORTS PLASMA TAG***}
[ReadRate:17]

BESIDES CREW MEMBERS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA ... THAT 20-PERCENT WAGE REBATE ALSO APPLIES TO STUNT PERFORMERS ... -AND- MOVIE STARS ... AS LONG AS THEY MAKE LESS THAN ONE-MILLION DOLLARS ... EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.

There's no perfect headline or script, but click here to see what the reporter on this story wrote for the web.

TV Series Will Keep Shooting in SC

"Army Wives" producers told change in film incentives doesn't apply to series.

by Robert Kittle

"Army Wives" will not be retreating from South Carolina after all. Producers of the Lifetime network series had threatened to leave Charleston after the state announced changes to the incentives it gives film production companies.

But the head of the state Commerce Department assured producers that the changes apply only to movies, not television series, so "Army Wives" will continue to be shot in Charleston.

As an incentive to lure moviemakers, the state offers a cash rebate to producers of 20 percent of the wages they pay crew members. Kara Borie, spokeswoman for the Commerce Department, says the cash rebates are much more attractive to production companies than the tax credits many other states offer, since producers have to wait until after they file their tax returns to get tax credits.

But the state is changing that incentive. Now, the 20 percent rebate will be given only for South Carolinians hired to work on a movie. Producers will get a rebate of only 10 percent for workers who are from out of state. The goal is to create more jobs for South Carolinians.

But will the change hurt the state's ability to attract film productions? "I think that's debatable, and we certainly hope not," says Borie. "Even with these modifications, we're still in the top 10 in the nation for incentives and number 1 in the Southeast."

She says the 20 percent incentive will still be given for a movie's stunt performers and stars, even if they're not from South Carolina, as long as they're paid less than $1 million.

The text version features a straightforward headline and summary, which gives a good idea of what the story is about and helps the user decide whether to keep reading. You'll notice the web version uses a direct quote from Kara Borie with the South Carolina Commerce Department. The reporter did not have her on camera in his story, so he paraphrased her interview for the TV package--the text version allows him to use her own words. The web version of this story included a still photo from a movie that was also shot in South Carolina, but did not have any additional online enhancements.

Question

• If there had been time, what kinds of additional digital content could have easily been included with this story?

 

Exercise 2
Discover Web Writing Techniques

Click on what looks like an interesting news story on your favorite website or a site your instructor has selected for you. You will be looking for evidence that the site’s producers are aware of the ways in which people use the web and how that should change their writing.

Check out this BBC Academy overview of web writing basics or review Chapter 7 for a refresher on good web writing techniques and then complete the following exercise.

Questions--Web Writing Techniques

• Provide the URL of the story you are reviewing.
• Describe any techniques used to make the story more user-friendly for an online reader.
• Describe any techniques that might improve the usability of the content for an online reader.

 

Exercise 3
Writing Web Headlines

Log on to your favorite news website or a site your instructor has selected for you. You will be looking for headlines that do a good job of following the best practices outlined in Chapter 7 of your textbook.

For example, web usability expert, Jakob Nielsen, says that BBC News creates some of the best web headlines in the world.

Looking at the home page for the site you have selected, complete the following exercise.

Questions--Headlines

• Provide the URL of the site you are reviewing.
• Select the “best” headline on the page and defend your choice. (Be sure to provide the headline copy itself.)
• Select the “worst” headline on the page and defend your choice. (Be sure to provide the headline copy itself.)
• Based on what you know about what makes a good headline, revise the “worst” headline to make it more effective.