General Presentation/Logistics Questions

The policy will vary from channel to channel. It's normally classed as 'news access' and only really happens if the local channel have pictures that no-one else will have so there's no choice. I think the general understanding is that the channel concerned will need to the same thing to another at some point.

However normally the TV coverage that's being rebroadcast is coming via one of the agencies. AP for example will receive an Indian TV channel and then send it out on their live feed, hence why you'll often see the same channel on Sky and the BBC... it's not a co-incidence. In these cases the channel would be a client/supplier to that agency and there'll be an agreement for such circumstances. When late on you see clean video of the same thing that will be because the local TV channel has sent them to the agency.

I see.

Using pictures via an agency: would the user normally subscribe to an agency access and just pay something like an annual fee to use as much material as they want, or, does the user have to pay on a case by case basis based on actual consumption?

I guess both options, and probably many more, exist.

For the big video agencies like APTN and Reuters it's an annual subscription and they supply equipment to receive it. They usually aren't really ad-hoc services you just use occasionally. With them how you reuse the footage after they put it out is down to the contract you've signed and how much you've paid. For example they might say that you can only use their footage for a year and the stuff from other broadcasters only for a month. There are systems in place to track usage, the agencies digitally watermark their outputs and then monitor channels with equipment that detects the watermarks.

There are lots of other sources of news footage though and these days many supply it online. Again it varies between organisations and contracts, they could charge per download or according to how much you use on air - that has to be declared to them after broadcast

Watching GMT with Zeinab Badawi yesterday got me thinking about this: she opens the programme standing over at the newswall in N8, and does the first and sometimes second stories from there. Then she moves back to the desk for the remainder of the programme.

Obviously at the desk, she has a port under the desk or on the rim of the desk to plug her earpiece into. But where does she plug herself into over at the standing postion?

(Obviously the question applies not just to ZB and BBCWN, but any and all such programmes).

Radio Talkback, like a radio Mic in reverse?

I think one domestic national bulletin had to do the programme opening from the desk rather than standing because radio talkback failed.

Yep, the norm is for a radio talkback in my experience. It's also useful for between bulletins when the presenter is back at their desk.... or in the loo

As Steve in Pudsey says it'll be radio talk-back used alongside her radio mic.
Normally cable mics and talk-back are fitted to the desk as standby's or if the newsreader is only going to sit through a programme and there's no need for radio mobility.

Can a newscaster update/amend the content of autocue scripts from his/her pc on the set?

If they must, via ENPS

Yes, ENPS is the 'master' running order. Although it is possible to manually change the order of video items in the playout system, manually change the sequence of astons, and manually change the script in Autoscript software, it's better practice to change the ENPS order and let the changes filter through to the other systems which hang off the back. A change of running order is usually reflected on all the other systems within a few seconds so it's pretty quick.

It depends how it's set up. Some will not have computers in the actual studio so will rely on producers in the gallery to make changes. The presenters will have their mic on pre-fade so they can talk to the gallery whilst packages are running and discuss changes to scripts etc. You also don't want presenters changing stuff without letting the gallery know - it could lead to heavy legal problems if things got changed without the producer knowing.

You wouldn't want a newsreader having a laugh one night having the world's heaviest cat as the top story.