Texas Association of Broadcasters
10/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/07/2024 15:42
TAB Gets Political at Oct. 19 Southwest Broadcast Newsroom Workshop
posted on 10.07.2024
- Day-Long Program at SMU, Registration Closes Oct. 15
TAB's Oct. 19 Southwest Broadcast Newsroom Workshop features a wide range of sessions aimed at bolstering newsgathering skills and providing ideas for better coverage in specific topics, such as political and election night coverage, to covering the courts and justice system. Registration for the workshop closes on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
The day-long seminar takes place in the Umphrey Lee Center on the SMU Campus in Dallas and is geared to the professional broadcast journalist, but three of the sessions benefit any attending students interested in pursuing a career in a Texas broadcast newsroom.
Covering Election Night and Holding the Elected Accountable
With just a few weeks to go until Election Day, there's not much time to prepare for election night coverage but our panel has ideas that can be implemented into your station's planning. What exactly should you be ready for in the studio or in the field on November 5? How can your coverage set the stage for what comes after the election - holding elected officials accountable?
The afternoon Election Night and Beyond session features former network reporter Deborah Potter leading a discussion featuring three of Texas' better known broadcast political reporters sharing their experience and recommendations - Jack Fink, KTVT-TV Dallas-Fort Worth; Jason Whitely, WFAA-TV Dallas-Fort Worth; Phil Prazan, KXAS-TV Dallas-Fort Worth
KTVT reporter Fink hosts the station's Eye On Politics program. KXAS reporter Prazan co-hosts the station's Lone Star Politics program. WFAA reporter Whitely hosts the Inside Texas Politics program as well as the Y'all-itics podcast.
Other Newsgathering Skills on Display at the Workshop
Three nationally known presenters will be presenting multiple sessions at the workshop - Al Tompkins, Deborah Potter, and Brendan Keefe.
Longtime journalist and former Poynter faculty member Tompkins will explore AI's impact on the newsroom and newsgathering in the opening and lunch sessions at the workshop. Artificial Intelligence advancements are arriving like a tsunami and flood journalists with mind-blowing challenges to determine what is real and what is computer-created in ways that were unimaginable only a few years ago.
But it's not all doom and gloom. There is also promise as artificial intelligence can be used to benefit newsgathering such as sorting massive databases, preparing for interviews, and making sense of complex legal and legislative documents. Attendees should come ready for a wild ride into the present and future.
In addition to the political and elective accountability session note above, Potter will present sessions on newswriting for impact and the art of the interview. The latter session will feature strategies to get more out interviews, be they serious or feature oriented.
Keefe, WANF-TV's chief investigative reporter, is a Murrow, Peabody, Emmy, and IRE awarded MMJ who nationally recognized for finding creative ways to make stories visually compelling. He pioneered MMJ's use of multiple cameras for interviews. Keefe will present two specific MMJ skills sessions, a visual storytelling session, and another session exploring the latest newsgathering tech tools of benefit to newsrooms.
Texas members of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) will present three panels focusing on Open Records request basics; utilizing government data in spreadsheets for enterprise reporting; and telling those tough, non-visual stories that are data-based. These sessions provide a fantastic opportunity for newsrooms to learn how to use the Texas Public Information Act to hold government, elected officials, and other powerful individuals accountable.
There are two legal-related workshop panels at the workshop. One will focus on covering court proceedings and the justice system. Another will center on the Texas and federal law impacting newsgathering and will feature attorneys Emily Carlton and Marc Fuller with TAB's general counsel law firm, Jackson Walker LLP.
Check out the full slate of the workshop's sessions at this link. TAB would love to see you and members of your station's news staff there!
Questions? Contact TAB's Michael Schneider or call (512) 322-9944.