When you watch the folks on TV, they make it look so easy.
There they are, moving seamlessly from one report to the next. No "ums" or garbled words. No awkward pauses. And their eyes certainly don't dart off camera, as mine did, when we filmed our first "News Break" for ajc.com.
For weeks, we’d been talking about ways to experiment with video and provide folks with a preview of some of the stories we’re chasing.
So when my friend, Monica Richardson, one of our managing editors, asked if I’d be interested in kicking off our video experiment, I didn’t hesitate.
Since then, I’ve discovered it’s a lot harder than it looks on TV.
I learned that everyone, as they say, is a critic.
And I was reminded that no matter what happens in this world, you can always count on your parents to root you on.
Before hitting the airwaves (or, in this case, our web site), we shot a practice video of “News Break” in a small studio on the fifth floor. That first day, I tried to memorize each of the five news stories, line-by-line.
I have a pretty healthy ego, but even I have to admit it was painful to watch.
You could see the wheels turning in my head as I tried to memorize my “script.”
As for energy?
Let’s just say comedian Steven Wright (“A lot of people are afraid of heights. I’m afraid of widths”) lights up a room compared to my delivery.
So we regrouped.
We ditched a script, per se, and I worked from some basic notes taken during our 10 a.m. news meeting, where our editors gather to discuss what we’re working on.
We moved the equipment up to the sixth-floor newsroom to catch some of the hustle and bustle that comes with putting out a daily newspaper and an up-to-the-minute web site.
And I remained mindful of my darting eyes.
Somehow, day by day, segment by segment, we saw improvement.
So, too, did viewers on ajc.com.
“I liked it,” one woman wrote. “a straightforward look at what the AJC is looking into, without the makeup or hair stylist.”
Hmmm.
One of my friends left this message: “You’ve gone multi-media! We need to get you a good agent – and makeup artist.”
Hmmm.
Then, there was this email: “LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY! Are you tired of going office daily? Make money working from home. I get paid over $87 per hour with 2 kids at home. The potential is endless.”
Clearly, I was developing a loyal following.
Nonetheless, we marched on. Along the way, we were reminded of another valuable lesson.
From our research, we know readers value hard news (the newsier our front page, the better) in their morning paper. Same goes for the videos.
The “News Break” last week on Gov. Nathan Deal appointing six new members to the DeKalb County school board was our highest-ranked so far. Another on the impending execution of Warren Hill (he’s the Georgia man whose attorneys maintain is mentally disabled) did well, too.
I don’t mean to brag or anything, but …. on ajc.com that day, more people watched the “News Break” on Hill than any another video – including one that featured Chris Brown and Rihanna.
As with most newsy topics, the scheduled execution also generated healthy debate, as it should.
“Not sure how I feel about this one,” one person wrote. “It is a sin if we execute someone mentally ill.”
Another said: “I had an aunt with a similar IQ level. She was slow to get new things but fully able to understand most normal things, including right from wrong.”
In the end, the courts decided to halt the execution just hours before Hill was set to die.
All of which reminded me just how serious this is.
Over the course of the last month, the videos have developed their own ebb and flow. Some are newsier than others. I seem to be more comfortable in front of the camera on some days, less on others. We’re still experimenting, and because of some scheduling conflicts, “News Break” hasn’t run every day.
Your feedback has certainly helped. (If you’d like to view some past “News Breaks,” you can find them at www.ajc.com/newsbreak.)
As for that lesson about your parents being your biggest fan? Let’s just say mom and dad have probably helped drive some of the numbers.
“You’re doing great!” my dad wrote in one email. “Can’t wait until the show starts!” he wrote in another.
As for me? I’m just in awe of how easy some folks make it look.
