Week 3 - News Team Publication Broadcast ✓ Solved

Week 3 - News Team Publication Broadcast News Publication: Y

Week 3 - News Team Publication Broadcast News Publication: Your news team publication will be scripts for television and radio. Use Google Docs; each group member inserts their own story script as a different page; editors edit assigned scripts. Each student must upload the following to Waypoint: a PDF copy of the feedback to the writer of the script the student edited; the Peer Editing Checklist for that script; a PDF copy of the final news team's broadcast script; a PDF copy of the original script the student wrote. For individual broadcast scripts, students must: write about a current news topic for TV and radio; summarize relevant facts/statistics; compare two opposing opinions about the topic, one of which must be an original interview; provide proper attribution for all sources; incorporate at least two visual elements to enhance the television script and audio details to enhance the radio script. For script editing assignments, students must utilize the Peer Editing Checklist for Scripts to evaluate their peer’s work. The news team scripts must be created using Google Docs and saved as a PDF; must include scripts from each news team member; and must adhere to the conventions of writing scripts for broadcast news media. After finalizing scripts, the News Director should upload to Ashford Café.

Paper For Above Instructions

Executive Overview

This paper explains a practical, standards-based workflow and content strategy to complete the Week 3 news team publication: a combined television and radio broadcast script package produced in Google Docs, peer-edited, and submitted as PDFs to Waypoint. It clarifies how student authors and editors can meet the assignment requirements: topicality, factual summaries, opposing viewpoints including an original interview, proper attribution, visual elements for TV, audio details for radio, and the required submission artifacts.

Team Workflow and Document Management

Begin by creating a single Google Docs document shared with all team members and the instructor. Each writer should add their individual script as a separate page within that document to preserve authorship and facilitate editing (RTDNA). The News Director creates a title/front page summarizing the package and assigns pages to editors. Maintain version control by saving a copy of each original writer’s script as a PDF before edits and storing it in a shared folder; this preserves original drafts for grading and plagiarism checks (Poynter).

Suggested Workflow Steps

  • Set up one Google Doc with clear page breaks and a contents page for team scripts.
  • Each writer pastes their original script as a distinct page and immediately saves a PDF copy.
  • Editors use the Peer Editing Checklist for Scripts to annotate and provide a PDF of feedback (use Google Docs comments; then export feedback as PDF).
  • After revisions, the News Director compiles the final broadcast script, exports the full package to PDF, and coordinates upload to Waypoint and Ashford Café (NPR Training).

Content Requirements and How to Meet Them

1. Choose a Current News Topic

Select a topic that is presently in the news and relevant to your audience—local, national, or global. Use authoritative sources (news outlets, government data, peer-reviewed research) to establish context and timeliness (Reuters Institute; Pew Research).

2. Summarize Relevant Facts and Statistics

Include succinct factual paragraphs and callouts for statistics. Present numbers with context (percent change, timeframes) and cite sources immediately after the sentence (e.g., (Pew Research).) Use on-screen graphics or caption copy for television to visually convey data; for radio, craft short soundbites and descriptive narration to communicate the same facts clearly (BBC Academy).

3. Compare Two Opposing Opinions, Including an Original Interview

Structure the script to show both sides: a summary of Position A, a summary of Position B, and an original interview excerpt supporting one side. Conduct a short recorded interview (audio file) and transcribe the relevant soundbite into the script. Attribute the interview properly: name, title, date, and medium (e.g., “John Doe, City Council Member, interview, Nov. 1, 2025”) (AP Stylebook; CJR). Use direct quotes for clarity and bracket brief editorial clarifications as needed.

4. Provide Proper Attribution

Every fact, figure, quote, or image must have an in-text attribution and a full citation listed in the package References. For broadcast, include attributions in spoken copy (e.g., “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...”) and in television lower-thirds or graphic credit lines (RTDNA; AP Stylebook).

5. Visual Elements for Television; Audio Details for Radio

Television requirements: include at least two visual elements such as (1) a 10–15 second b-roll sequence (location shots, crowd reaction, relevant documents) and (2) an infographic or lower-third that summarizes key statistics. Describe each visual element in the script with timing and camera directions (e.g., “V.O. over B-roll: 0:00–0:12; graphic: ‘COVID-19 cases by county’ appears, lower-third credit”).

Radio requirements: provide audio staging details—ambient sound cues, interview SOTs (sound on tape), and production notes for mixing (e.g., “SOT 1: 0:22–0:36, ambient street noise fades under: -6dB”). Clear audio instructions ensure the producer can assemble the piece precisely (NPR Training; BBC Academy).

Peer Editing and the Checklist

Editors must use the Peer Editing Checklist for Scripts to assess structure, clarity, factual accuracy, balance, attribution, style, and technical production notes. Provide constructive feedback in-line and export comments to a PDF file to upload with the assignment. Keep feedback professional and anchored to specific checklist items (SPJ Code of Ethics; CJR).

Formatting and Broadcast Script Conventions

Follow established broadcast conventions: slug lines, time stamps, cues (V.O., SOT), shot descriptions, and graphics instructions. Use short sentences and conversational language for spoken delivery; keep teleprompter copy under 12–14 words per line when possible. For radio, write rhythmically with natural pauses and clear SOT transitions (RTDNA; Poynter).

Submission Checklist

  • PDF of feedback to the writer you edited (uploaded to Waypoint)
  • Peer Editing Checklist for the script you edited
  • PDF of the final news team broadcast script
  • PDF of your original script
  • All materials saved in Google Docs and final package uploaded to Ashford Café

Conclusion

By following this structured workflow, adhering to broadcast conventions, and documenting peer edits, student teams will produce a professional, compliant news package for both television and radio. Emphasize factual precision, balanced viewpoints with an original interview, clear attributions, and distinct visual and audio production notes to meet all assignment criteria and deliverable requirements (RTDNA; AP Stylebook).

References

  • Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). https://rtdna.org/
  • Poynter Institute — Broadcast Writing Resources. https://www.poynter.org/
  • BBC Academy — Journalism. https://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/en/collections/journalism
  • NPR Training — Storytelling and Scriptwriting. https://training.npr.org/
  • Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/
  • Pew Research Center — Journalism & Media. https://www.pewresearch.org/
  • The Associated Press Stylebook. https://apstylebook.com/
  • Knight Foundation — Journalism Resources. https://knightfoundation.org/
  • Columbia Journalism Review (CJR). https://www.cjr.org/
  • Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) — Code of Ethics. https://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp

Related Assignments