I like it when reporters are seen running down the street trying to interview someone who has something to hide. Let’s face it, if you do have something to hide, you’re not going to agree to a nice sit-down with a reporter who has some tough questions to ask, especially when you know she already […]
I like it when reporters are seen running down the street trying to interview someone who has something to hide. Let’s face it, if you do have something to hide, you’re not going to agree to a nice sit-down with a reporter who has some tough questions to ask, especially when you know she already knows the answers.
This is my idea of what local TV news should be doing, exposing those dark corners where corruption hides and shining light on sweetheart deals. I love it when reporters have done their homework which often means pouring over countless files to find the truth.
If this is your kind of local news, read on.
First off, I live in the Philly area. So how do I know all about this story? I’m Facebook friends with WXIA’s creative services director, Larry Watzman. WXIA is Gannett’s NBC affiliate in Atlanta. Watzman posted this promo on his timeline.
I started clicking around and pretty soon, I’m on WXIA’s website where I see this and several other unedited videos that show WXIA’s investigative reporter collaring officials, asking those tough questions. It’s like I’m on the story with her. This is cool. That’s right, local news can be cool.
I find a whole thread of videos and graphics about this story that only serves to heighten my sense of curiosity.
What’s my point? Creating and running a 15-second promo on your air is only one step. It’s expensive to air the promo within commercial inventory, and it plays in and around other commercials.
Facebook, however, is free, limitless, engaging, inclusive and media-rich. The process of gathering news like this can be as interesting, or even more so, than the story itself.
Here’s the finished story. By the way, this aired Thursday night at 11, the first night of the February sweeps.
I’m looking for your February sweeps stories. Click here to find out more.
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