Story Production in TV Broadcasting
Whether the story for TV is a commentary, a piece of investigative journalism, a consumer reports of a human interest piece, there are multiples steps to take the story from idea to aired segment. After a story has been pitched and approved, the producer must be ready to jump in and make the idea a reality. The process can differ slightly based on type and extenuating circumstances, yet the most successful producers follow a common process. From gathering background information to documenting ideas that came up during the the pitching process, it is helpful to have more rather than less detail. In addition, depending on the number of interview for the story, scheduling these and doing research beforehand can be quite in involved. Finally, there is a slew of tasks to be checked off up until the story finally airs on TV.
Story Production Template
The Story Production Template is organized as follows:
Quadrant 1:
Quadrant one holds all the background like why this story has been approved as well as logistical information like story owner, air date, etc.
Quadrant 2:
Quadrant two records any ideas or conversations since the initial topic has been pitched that will be useful as the story is taken forward.
Quadrant 3:
Quadrant three holds of the context and tasks around interviews. This includes details on who to interview and why, pre-interview research and interview questions as well as interview times and all post-interview notes.
Quadrant 4:
Quadrant four will hold the check-list of action items up until the segment is aired. This includes both creative and technical steps in the process.
