I live with two folks, my mother and my grandmother. My mother tends to read stories and hobble around them.

When I do the BCOP Newswheel (the above clip begins after TechBeat at aprox 2:55:00), the format is a bit structured. In this vlog below, I explain how I had built a Newsroom Computer System using FileMaker Pro and run a simple database to catalog the stories, at the time they air and what to read on the air

“Have an Informative Day… the Capital Region’s Newswatch Never Stops. More News is next.” – my :59:50 signoff message. 

as I demoed in the vlog, I will literally copy and paste stories from the wires and totally rewrite them if it needs to.

The other element is sounders and the theme music used in radio. I use an app called SoundByte. It works well across all Apple devices and recent versions of their operating systems:

I have bought a $15 Elo Touchsystems flat panel display to use with SoundByte, I use the Elo Monitor for all of the podcasts and livestreams that requires audio playback so you don’t have to hear the mouse on every instance.

The radio format forces you to read clearly my style is

• Being explicit: “BCOP News time [time]”, “Currently it’s 28° going up to 32°”, “Dow closed down 158 points”
• Reading the copy before reading to air: so you know what you are about to read
• If there is something you don’t think should be aired, don’t read it
• Read What you Know! Avoid conjecture at all costs.
• Read at the same pace for the entire time your mic is open (assuming you’ll be on for up to a minute before handing off to a package, live report, or a commercial break.)
• Smile when necessary, be serious when it warrants. The December tornado outbreak forced me to change my tone as I was going to the Top of the Hour that day.
• Also make sure your audio workflow is set up properly. (It’s a given and I know it needs to be fixed and stabilized.)

Be clear, and ensure your audience is informed. As I always sign off every wheel or on Tech Beat “Have an Informative Day… the Capital Region’s Newswatch Never Stops. More News is next.”