Getting To Do Better

Last Tuesday’s KOMU shift was quite interesting! I had a story idea about a bill in Missouri legislature about a new type of cigarette called fire-safe cigarette. This type of cigarette self-extinguishes if left unattended.

I was basically trying to have an angle on the impact that it might have on reducing fire incidents in Missouri once it takes effect. It did not turn out to be easy to get hold of the fire departments around Columbia and I decide to go to Missouri’s capital Jefferson City to talk to the lawmaker who sponsored the bill, a fire-fighter official and hopefully get some nice b-roll at a cigarette store. I got there sometime around 3:30 and had an interview with a lawmaker and then headed toward the fire department. I found the fire department without that much of a problem since I had located the place on Google maps. Then I headed to a cigarette store in the town. Unfortunately I got lost as I was attempting to find the place and then found myself on a highway leading out of the town. I had already spent like half an hour trying to find that place, but in vain. So I decided that since it only takes around half an hour to reach Columbia, a place that I know much better, then I drove toward Columbia. In Columbia it wasn’t hard to find a cigarette store and I got some b-rolls and talked to a smoker about the new cigarettes.

I got back to the station around 7:30 which meant I had only two hours and a half to write a script and edit it! I was pretty confident I will do it on time. And yes I did it quite well and was done almost 15 minutes before the deadline.

I was generally satisfied with the outcome, although you would always think you could do a better job, if and only if…

I have generally learned a good deal about television reporting during my four past shifts. I am now much faster in editing. I can edit a package in around 45 minutes, more or less, that includes voicing. If that can be called fast! And I have got to learn how to use the video cameras at KOMU more efficiently though I definitely need to spend some more time on that. And based on my recent talk to Greeley, our broadcast professor, I hope to get to improve my voicing this time. 

Click on this link to view my story:http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/ba8a4513-c0a8-2f11-0063-9bd94c70b769/a7ece155-80ce-0971-00b7-08db2853e4ca