NewsTeam Class

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8am to 12:45pm for newscast

(Boot Camp start times vary - see Spring 2018 Time table)

Fridays, 1pm to 2:50pm for Boot Camp only. After that we will not meet as a class, but you may use this time to meet with the instructors to go over your work and to pitch stories

8am is the start time and we hold a news meeting promptly. To be blunt, you simply cannot be late or it will affect your grade. When it comes to making sure you're here on time, all students should be present by 7:45am the day they are assigned. Yes, being habitually late is a problem; you can't just come in when you feel like it. Too often, we've had students stroll in 20 minutes late after our news meeting commenced. Such tardiness will not be tolerated in the profession, and that is why we must insist that you arrive on time and start developing good time management skills. We also expect all students to arrive on time for the 1pm start-time of our Friday sessions. Arriving late could see your grade drop an entire letter grade.

Time Management
Time is your most precious resource and a clear understanding of deadlines is vital. Know this -- we take deadlines seriously. That's because your work is part of a team effort. If you miss your deadline, you don't just answer to your professors -- you must answer to your peers. Your fellow students are counting on you to get your work done on time.  We know that you have a life outside of NewsTeam, and we know that sometimes personal issues come up. But once you fall behind on an assignment, it's that much easier to fall behind on the next, and so on. If you're running late or experiencing delays, then you must take the responsibility to inform not just your professors, but also your show producer. If you need to talk about your situation, please remember - we will always keep personal conversations confidential. But keep us in the loop about anything that might affect your work. 

Why the 8am start time?
Simply, we need as much time as possible to finish our work prior to the 12pm start of the newscast.  Once you get into the routine, you'll find the early start time more agreeable... and practical.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the time is spent writing and getting script approval, shooting same-day stories, editing, printing scripts and rundowns and getting in some rehearsal time before the broadcast commences at 12 noon.  

Friday Sessions (1pm to 2:50pm) 
After boot camp, you won't need to meet Fridays unless we have a special guest or other activity that is necessary to the course. But Fridays are available for individuals to meet with their instructor(s) to pitch stories and go over the work they did that week.

Important Dates

• Boot Camp: First four weeks of semester, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
• News You Can Use Assignment: Friday 26 January
• News Events Diary: Friday 2 February
• Dress Rehearsal: Thursday 8 February
• First Newscast: Tuesday 13 February
• Last Newscast: Thursday 26 April
• E-Portfolios Due - Friday 4 May
  

• Story submission forms must be filled out and approved before you start production work.
• If a story falls through and you need to do a new one, then you must fill out a new story submission form and turn that in for approval. 
• You can always submit story ideas much earlier. Please feel free to discuss your ideas with us before you fill out the submission form. 
  

• Story submission forms are required and must be approved before you start production. 
• If a story falls through and you need to do a new one, then you must fill out a new story submission form and turn that in for approval. 
• You can always submit story ideas earlier, but the news story is a short turnaround covering mostly timely news. Please feel free to discuss your ideas with us before you fill out the submission form. 

• Reporters will submit VOSOT ideas to both their instructors and to their producer and get approval before they do the show. Or, producers may assign VOSOT stories to you.
  

• 7pm day before the newscast - Show producer must e-mail a rough rundown to professors no later than 7pm. The rundown could be a rough outline that shows the story order in the news blocks. You don't need to use Inception at this time for your rundown submission.
  

• Upon arrival you should already be informed about the top news stories of the day. We will conduct a news meeting first thing so you can share your story ideas. As part of your grade we'll be evaluating your contribution to the news meeting. You could get a lower grade for the course if you're not prepared for class with knowledge of current news events or if you aren't forthcoming with ideas. 
  
• Check CNN Newsource for feed stories, www.newsource.cnn.com
• Producer continues work on rundown and lists stories on assignment board in preparation for news meeting.
• Weather Anchor begins work on forecasts and graphics.
• Same-Day reporters and photographers are assigned stories

NOTE: The start time for Same-Day Reporters and Photographers may vary depending on breaking news. Keep apprised of the latest developments and keep in contact with your producer the night before to know if you might need an earlier start. 

• We start promptly at 8am - showing up late will affect your grade.
• All students must arrive to class already informed about current events.
• Anchors, Weather may bring a change of wardrobe. There will be no time to go back home and change (suit and tie for men).
• Same-Day reporters must wear appropriate attire when they appear on camera
• Package reporters must have change of wardrobe for live fronting their story in the studio
  

9am to 10am - Feature, News and Sports Packages to be reviewed, tweaked and uploaded to server. 

• Package reporters finesse their Web stories. 

9:00 am - Writing and Editing

• All package reporters get their scripts into Inception
  
• Anchor(s) start writing their stories
• Edit CNN stories, build graphics.
• Edit VOSOTS
• Weather Anchor continues work.
• Same-Day Reporter and Photographer are geared up to leave for the field and start production of their story. The reporter writes anchor intro and tag for their story before heading out the door. 
  

• OTS graphics list is due - directors will build the OTS graphics
• Work on additional CG list
  
• Finished packages (minus the slate) to be uploaded to NewsTeam's YouTube Channel. Reporters upload their Web stories to NewsTeam Boulder website. 

• Have Teases and Cold Open written and forwarded to Edit Lab

• Same-Day Reporter logs footage, notes the good takes and SOTS, writes script then makes sure the anchor intro and tag are completed and polished.
• Same-Day Photographer starts editing audio first, then adds b-roll  to create the rough cut
• Polished Same-Day Anchor Intro and Tag are due
• All other writing is due
  
• VOSOT scripts are due and entered into rundown

• VOSOT stories are edited and approved for broadcast
  
• Commence loading finished and approved video into studio server

11:00 am - Print All Scripts; Anchor(s) head to ATLAS Studio

• Anchor(s) and Reporters get dressed and apply make-up
• Anchor(s) and Reporters read over scripts
• Continue uploading video to server.
  

11:15 am - Same-Day Packages are due for review and tweaks

• Exporting from Premiere must take place near this time.
• Upload Same-Day Packages to video server by 11:30 am.

11:30 am - Remainder of class arrives at ATLAS Studio

• Anchor(s) at news desk and Reporters getting their microphone(s)
  
• Video continues to be loaded into the servers
• Rehearse A-Block
  

12-Noon - Start of Newscast

12:20 pm - End of Newscast

• Start of "post-mortem" meeting to discuss the show
  

12:45 pm (latest) - Wrap 

• Everyone should be out of the studio by this time at the latest.