During the recent adoption issue that captured media attention, I was interviewed by CNN. I thought about that interview when reading this article. The interview lasted more than an hour.
A clip of about ten seconds was used in the story.
More than 70 percent of Americans get their news from television, according to the latest statistics. Perhaps more appropriately, it should be reported that 70 percent of Americans get tidbits of news from television.For anyone who has been interviewed for a TV story, you've come to a frustrating realization about the brevity of the reporting. After undergoing a 10-to-15 minute interview, the interview is boiled down to a 6-to-8 second sound bite. The entire story may last one minute. The reason is quite simple. There is no room for news stories in the newscast.A recent analysis of TV news content confirms this assertion. Nick Hess, a writer and board member of Public Access of Indianapolis, took on the challenge of analyzing the content of local TV news. Although the findings aren't surprising, they are eye opening.After watching 4 1/2 hours of local TV news, Hess found 37 percent of the time was used for ads, teasers and banter. Another one third was assigned to sports and weather. With those numbers in mind, there is not much left to deal with crime, the economy, local and national news, features and politics.Remains of the newscastThe remaining nine or 10 minutes? The Project for Excellence in Journalism has the answer. Usually that time is filled with news about public safety - such as crime, natural disasters and traffic accidents. Most of the time public safety items lead off the newscast and continue to suck up a majority of the remaining time. That's because those stories are visual, compelling and may be covered quickly.Complex stories regarding the environment, government, public issues and business are handled in a more abbreviated manner.Frustrated by this information? Think how the people in the newsroom and how these trends limits them. We've certainly heard plenty of muttering by TV news staff in the Northwest.The consolidation of television station ownership and the competitive tactics used to make corporate business investments pay off have created this seemingly headline news-only situation. And, news consultants have added to the nearly-news-free environment by advising stations to offer more entertainment content in the newscast than hard news. The goal is increased viewership. News directors, assignment editors, producers and reporters have been pushed into a corner that is hard to escape from.Maximizing limited opportunitySo what does this mean for someone trying to get a story told?The story pitcher must be focused, prepared and disciplined in message management. If lucky enough to be interviewed, get to the key point quickly. Determine the most important message prior to the interview and work on how to say it effectively. Keep coming back to the key message in the hope it will fit in the few seconds allotted for a sound bite.Being efficient and clear in delivering the message also has a secondary purpose - helping the reporter clearly understand the elements of the issue. Help make the reporter present the story with a level of expertise. After all, helping a reporter succeed goes a long way in getting your story told the way you want it.
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