2011 NSPA Broadcast Pacemaker Winners
Contest judging and video hosting courtesy of a partnership with SchoolTube.com and the Radio Television Digital News Foundation

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2011 NSPA Broadcast Pacemaker Finalists

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Judges' summary comments

Broadcast television is going through a series of fundamental changes, most in terms of presentation. The importance investigative and relevant topical content remains at the heart of what we do, but in terms of how a broadcast relates with its audience depends increasingly on presenting a stylized feel that is unique and appealing to the target audience. This year I focused on a few very important factors:

• Topics and reporting styles that highlight important issues relevant to the broadcast’s target audiences and using smart story-telling techniques.
• Sophistication and proper build out of the rundown.
• Proper audio editing including balanced levels, use of natural sound, appropriate use of music, and the ability to consistently balance levels throughout the broadcast.
• The use of colorful and relevant B-Roll
• Smart graphics builds
• Transitioning cleanly from story to story.

Just about every school seems to have spend an inordinate time putting together the opening graphics for their program. Nothing wrong with that, but there’s much more to news than a smiling face and a chyron with one’s name beneath it.

I have to say that of all the things that I came across, particularly bad writing would cause me to set a newscast apart. It’s important to know the context of the story, to be consistent with tenses (past and present occasionally confused), and to not get carried away with writing a lead-in or a tease. Keeping thing simple and accurate are the best ways to convey.