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Chapter 10 News and News Management
OUTLINE
I. The Importance of News
A. Society has become increasingly dependent on the electronic and digital
media for news and information͒
B. Localism is the key feature that separates traditional local and regional
II. Organization of a News Department
A. News departments vary in size and composition from market to market
and type of facility and depending on the commitment to news as a form
of content
B. The types of representative staff at the news department of a local
television station:
2. Assignment Editor
4. Executive Producers
6. Anchors
8. Photographers and Editors
10. Weather
C. Budgeting and the News Department
1. News represents one of the more challenging areas of budgetary
2. The most expensive component in a news department is the
personnel
3. News department budgets vary across the media and market size
III. Issues in News Management
A. Audience of local television news have declined in recent years as more
people access news from mobile and alternative sources
B. Many electronic media newsrooms have attempted various forms of
converging news operations
C. Management tries to do whatever it can to maintain a positive relationship
ASSIGNMENTS/PROJECTS
1. Investigate the structure of the radio and television news organizations in your
community. Construct a rough organizational chart for each group. How many
people are on each staff? What are their titles and responsibilities? For how many
stations does each news team gather and report news? How are decisions made on
what stories will be covered? What is the overall news philosophy of each group?
Does the group do audience research? What is the potential for advancement in each
organization? Is there a union? On what issues does the union represent its
members? What is the union’s contribution to the overall workplace environment?
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2. Compare local newscasts for the evening news (use either the early or the late
edition late) for all the stations in your local viewing area. Assign students to watch
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Which of the following positions does not usually report to the News Director?
2. News is critical to broadcast stations because it helps establish a sense of
________.
d. unity
e. none of the above
3. Which position in the news department usually has the last word on revising the
newscast?
a. News Director
4. Which of the following is not the advantage of the branding of news operations?
a. generating awareness
5. Which of the following is not the sources that help television stations identify and
select stories that are of interest to the audience
a. Associated Press
b. Internet
6. ___________ works closely with the News Director and shares the overall
responsibility of the department.
d. Executive Producer
e. Anchor
7. Who is considered by viewers to have the most visible as well as the most
authoritative positions in the news department.
a. Assistant News Director
b. Assignment Editor
8. Years of audience research data has identified ______ as the primary reason people
say they watch local news.
9. News anchor contracts for key talent usually involves negotiation with:
a. a tax consultant
10. Which of the following is not true about noncompete clauses?
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accessible website, in whole or in part.
b. some states are challenging the use of noncompetes
c. noncompetes are often found in contracts with reporters
*p. 233 d. noncompetes can only keep someone off the air of a competitor for 30
days
e. none of the above
11. News can be an economical form of programming because
d. sets can be constructed cheaply
e. all of the above
12. Frequently, news departments are challenged by difficult __________ situations.
a. political
13. Salaries for radio news employees tend to be _________ compared to television
news salaries.
14. News departments attempt to improve rating by airing special packages during this
time period:
a. January–February
b. national elections
15. Which of the following is not a responsibility of the Assistant News Director?
a. working with reporters
b. working with producers
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TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS
16. News departments are not expected to earn a profit for television stations.
17. Media General was an early leader in converging news operations, integrating their
television news operations with radio, print, Internet, and cable partners.
18. News Directors are accountable for all areas of the news department and report
directly to the General Manager in most television stations.
19. Ratings are not used in evaluating a station’s newscast.
20. Everyone in the newsroom knows that the ultimate success of the news product is
measured by how well the news is planned and presented.
DISCUSSION/ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Why is news important to many television stations as a source of programming?
3. Has the expansion of news programming at the national level (including CNN,
MSNBC, Fox, etc.) created too much news? Why or why not?
4. Why have the use of “live shots” become controversial in news coverage?