Script Rundowns
Once the producer determines all the news stories that will be run
in the newscast, he or she assembles them on a script rundown. The
rundown contains a number of elements, including the initials of the
anchor reading the story, the slug (name of the story), the script type
(VO/SOT, VO and so on), the initials of the reporter who wrote the
story and the length of the story (see Figure 19.5 on the next page).
The producer typically places hard news or spot news stories near
the top of the script rundown. These are the stories that will appear
first on the air. However, the producer may also lead the newscast with
stories that have a broad appeal, even if those stories are human inter-
est or feature stories. On the opening day of the College World Series
in Omaha, Nebraska, for example, many of the local stations begin the
newscast with events happening at the ballpark.
Specialized news stories (consumer, health or education stories, for
example), may run in the second segment of the newscast (the part of
the newscast that comes after the first commercial break). National or
international news stories may also run in this segment. At many local
news stations, weather coverage comes in the middle of the newscast,
and sports runs near the end. However, some stations are experiment-
ing with placing these segments in other locations.
BROADCAST NEWS 457
FIGURE 19.4
A BROADCAST TELEVISION
SCRIPT SHOWING CUESHOMECOMING/tws/3 p.m.
__O/C (ANNOUNCER)
HOMECOMING ROYALTY WILL BE
CROWNED FRIDAY NIGHT IN
KIEWIT GYMNASIUM FOLLOWING
THE GAME AGAINST CENTRAL.
VO BEGINS ___ (VO)
REHEARSAL FOR THE
CEREMONY WAS HELD IN THE
GYM THIS MORNING. BECCA
BURNETT, HOLLY HO AND
TRT: 10 NICOLE RUSH ARE CANDIDATES
FOR QUEEN, AND JOE SCHEER
(SHARE), MARIO RODRIGUEZ
AND TIM HAYES ARE CANDIDATES
FOR KING.
__O/C (LIVE)
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO
ATTEND THE CEREMONY.
(# # #)
script rundown
instructions prepared by
a television producer that
include the initials of the
anchor reading the story,
the slug, the script type,
the initials of the reporter
who wrote the story and the
story’s length