Local News Stand-up format

[searadiofreak]

I have noticed a trend in local tv news where the anchors move away from the desk and stand in front of a monitor and do their pre-promote, or even whole package, standing up. Does this really work? And it is it really new? My 2nd question, (is it really new?), is rhetorical. Of course it isn't. This format concept has exsisted for decades, but it never really caught on. A great example is KIRO-TV (CBS) in Seattle which tried to do this circa 1993. Unfortunately, it was clumsy, and they over-did it. So it was dropped and the desk format came back quickly. Yet, KIRO may have been ahead of the curve, as I see this being done in many markets today, although usually combined with the desk format. So maybe KIRO had the right idea, just the wrong execution.

So, the question is, does this improve local news productions? Is it a distraction? Or perhaps if done just occasionally, the audience will approve of it. Opinions?

 

[LKellerIII]

In the Bay Area lately, some stations have their anchors stand to deliver some of their stories - always holding a folded piece of paper, for some reason. Then they sit down for other stories.

Los Angeles news anchor George Putnam (1950s thru the mid 1970s) always stood on the set. There wasn't even a desk or podium - just Putnam and his co-anchor in the 60s (Hal Fishman) and the sports anchor - all standing. George had a deep booming voice and very dramatic delivery - bordering on the seriously pompous. He was the primary inspiration for the Ted Baxter character on Mary Tyler Moore. Putnam definitely had a unique style, and it worked - he garnered high ratings, and was the highest paid news anchor in America for a number of years.

http://www.bing.com/reference/semhtml/George_Putnam_(newsman)

 

[e-dawg]

The only station or stations that I know does very well in the stand up format is CITY-TV in Canada. All of the citytv stations, CITY, CKVU, CKEM, CHMI, CKAL have anchors that stand up only.

 

[sandiegoinexile]

Stand-up is so 2002.... iPad Intros are 2010......

During the Friday night 11PM news on Sacramento KCRA, the female anchor started her lead-in to a story by holding up her iPad. The screen was a still-shot, that she tapped to start the video that had been gotten from a small plane crash site. The camera zoomed in over her shoulder as she angled the iPad to her face. The camera zoomed in until the iPad screen filled the entire TV screen, then the video was fed directly into frame, with the reporter's voice continuing with details from the crash scene.

Later, when they came back for sports, there was a long-distance 4-shot of the two anchors, the weather guy, and the sports guy seated at the desk with the standard camera in front of them. Rather than cut to a stationary camera focused on Mr Sports as he began talking, the hand-held camera angled around, walking from the distance, with slight camera jiggle, gradually cutting Mr Weather, Miss Female Anchor, and finally Mr Lead Anchor from view, ultimately isolating on a close-up of Mr Sports, just as he finished his intro to the lead sports story.

Very strange.

 

[DToTheJ]

The primetime news anchors on the WNYW/Fox 5 New York 10 PM newscasts occasionally stand up during some segments. And some of them look very nice doing so, I might add.

 

[Markxxx]

...He was the primary inspiration for the Ted Baxter character on Mary Tyler Moore.

If I'm not mistaken Ted Baxter always stood and read the news (except for a few episodes where they tried a new format, like having Ted in the newsroom or having Ted paired with Gordy)

I can't recall anyone standing up reading the news in Chicago.

 

[gregg75]

In Atlanta they stand up if they think they have a super-dooper story. But, 7 times
out of 10 it's just a regular story.........blown out of proportion. It gives them a chance
to show off their new suit or dress and prove to the work that they are not pregnant.

 

[dave73]

While WGN-TV doesn't have the news anchors stand up during the evening news (5-6pm CT), they're away from the news desk, and instead sitting somewhere within the newsroom. Sometimes, they're holding iPads as well (Mark Suppelsa likes to have one with him to be on facebook) The link I provided is to his fan page (I still call it a fan page). It's something I'm not used to, but it does give you an idea of what goes on behind the scenes of the newsroom. I don't know if WGN-TV will expand this to the 9pm news. I don't see them doing this on the midday news (11am-1pm locally & noon - 1pm on WGN America) due to interviews that take place, plus the lunchbreak segment has cooking (something that can't be done in the newsroom). I don't see this expanding to the Morning News either. It'll take awhile to get used to. At least they're doing something different. Other stations in Chicago like WLS-TV has all newscasts done in their street front studios (sitting down). WMAQ & WBBM-TV have some newscasts done in their street front studios and other newscasts in the general studios (sitting down). The street front studios are something WGN-TV hasn't given into, due to their station being on the North side of Chicago, while the top 4 network stations are in Downtown Chicago, and can do the street front studios (except WFLD). WFLD hasn't done the street front studios either, due to their station being on one of the lowest level of the Prudential Building (below street level), and would need separate facilities to go this route.

 

[ThatManDan]

I seem to recall in the mid 60's Peter Jennings standing during the ABC Evening News. He was behind a podium though. Channel 3, WCAX Burlington(VT) has their team sitting at the start, but then standing for segments during the cast. They return to the desk and sit for the closing feature. The weatherperson always stands I've noticed.

 

[LKellerIII]

I've heard that in the old days, when anchors always just sat, they typically wore jeans or shorts below their coat and tie (or blouse for the women). Guess they can't do that anymore.

I think the point is that the directors want things to look visually active, not static. That's why they use all the moving graphics, and now why they have people get up, stand in different places, hold up their i-pad, walk around, etc.

Remember the old Eyewitness News style opening when the anchors would walk quickly onto the set from off camera, then sit down? It was supposed to look dramatic, like they'd just come from the scene of some exciting story.

 

[mjlarochelle]

The only station or stations that I know does very well in the stand up format is CITY-TV in Canada. All of the citytv stations, CITY, CKVU, CKEM, CHMI, CKAL have anchors that stand up only.

I hardly count any of the stations other than the Toronto one as doing news these days. That said, CITY started it in 1987 and they had it nailed very early on. A couple other stations in Ontario also do it, and they do it well.

I haven't seen too many U.S. stations where newscasts are done entirely standing up. All the Detroit stations have some standing components to their newscasts, but WDIV and WXYZ stick mainly to the desk. Don't know about WJBK since I rarely watch them.

 

[TheBigA]

Does this really work?

Depends. If it's done well, it is more natural than sitting behind a desk. It works for Anderson Cooper.

If you depend on teleprompter, it can be tough. It's hard to read while standing and walking. Lots of eye-body co-ordination going on. You might trip and fall on your face. But if you're a natural who pre-reads your copy, and just looks at prompter for guidance, it can loosen things up. The "sitting behind a desk" thing is as much of a prop as standing in front of a screen. They're all props and techniques. I find it funny how ESPN has used the desk as almost a character, putting it out on the field, or in places where you'd normally do a stand-up, just for that prop. Imagine a street reporter, covering a fire, and doing it from behind a desk. Silly.

There's a famous old piece of video from CBS News of Bill Plante covering the White House. He's doing the traditional stand-up on the North Lawn, with the famous portico in the background, the one you see on the news all the time. He's wearing a dark suit and tie, holding his mic, looking square into the camera, signing off with "Bill Plante, CBS News, the White House." They pause a moment, then the camera zooms back and you see that Bill is wearing white tennis shorts. He'd been playing tennis and got the call to report a breaking story. That's what being a reporter is.

The trend now is to blur the line between a reporter and an anchor. That's what Anderson Cooper does. That's what Dan Rather and others sought to do. You don't want to be Barbie & Ken, mindless readers who have no depth. That takes knowledge and skill. Some folks will never grow beyond their good looks. Tom Brokaw fought that image for a long time. Same with Peter Jennings. At local, it's even harder to get talented people who can do real reporting while also looking good. But that's why we call it talent.

 

[KeithE4]

I can't recall anyone standing up reading the news in Chicago.

Floyd Kalber did when he was at WNBQ/WMAQ-TV, prior to 1975 when they became Newscenter 5.

 

[Sammi Brie]

The 10pm news at KSAZ is a one-anchor affair on weeknights (with Troy Hayden standing in front of a virtual set), though the 9pm has two anchors (John Hook and Kari Lake; Hayden will fill in if needed for either anchor, and Kari Lake has also been the backup weather presenter of late for some shows when Dave Munsey's off and Jayme King (their weekend met) isn't there).

The 9pm and 10pm on weekends both have two anchors at the desk, a rarity for weekend news these days – Marc Martinez and Linda Williams (a nearly 30-year station veteran).

 

[compubit]

KIAH in Houston has gone this route (of course, we know the ultimate direction they're heading: News > NewsFix > No News or Outsourced News...).

No longer a desk with the recent studio revamp, and anchor Mia Gradney usually has her iPad in hand during the newscast - though last Friday, she had (gasp) folded paper... Wonder if the iPad crashed or Tribune pulled it back to one of their other stations...

Jim

 

[JackBauer112]

KCRA-p overrated... Stand up news doesn't work for them.

During the Friday night 11PM news on Sacramento KCRA, the female anchor started her lead-in to a story by holding up her iPad. The screen was a still-shot, that she tapped to start the video that had been gotten from a small plane crash site. The camera zoomed in over her shoulder as she angled the iPad to her face. The camera zoomed in until the iPad screen filled the entire TV screen, then the video was fed directly into frame, with the reporter's voice continuing with details from the crash scene.

Later, when they came back for sports, there was a long-distance 4-shot of the two anchors, the weather guy, and the sports guy seated at the desk with the standard camera in front of them. Rather than cut to a stationary camera focused on Mr Sports as he began talking, the hand-held camera angled around, walking from the distance, with slight camera jiggle, gradually cutting Mr Weather, Miss Female Anchor, and finally Mr Lead Anchor from view, ultimately isolating on a close-up of Mr Sports, just as he finished his intro to the lead sports story.

Very strange.

KCRA(p) is becoming an overrated, over the top station, the reporters look so up high that they are extending their e-penii and that the anchors are looking like deer in headlights that they can't stand up straight. I personally stopped watching KCRA(p) when Dave and Lois left the station back in November 2008. Since then all of the reporters are saying everything in all caps and their egos are big. I hate them personally because now since Hearst purchased the station and Dave/Lois left, they brag about why they are #1 and they overuse "Where The News Comes First" too many times. In short the leading lady Edie Lambert (who has a cousin KSBW's Shelley Harr) is nothing more but getting attention. I can't say anything much about Gulstan Dart as well. I felt sorry for the fact that the news director is pressuring many of it's anchors to have a big ego. The standup format may work at some stations, but not KCRA(p). They look out of place. I prefer KXTV and KOVR's news any day of the week over that big ego of a station.

At least sister station KSBW's news doesn't stand up because they talk during stories. That works for them because they at least can be good of a newscast without causing their reporters to have a overextended ego. I'm happy that KSBW's Action News never stands up and at least keep their desk which BTW this year had a makeover by FX group, the same one's that did their overego sister station.

Bottom line, standup newscasts do work only if it fits a station based on it's image and track record of having a laid back setting. If it doesn't work, just bring back the desk. It will look more professional that way.

 

[searadiofreak]

.

 

[searadiofreak]

I've heard that in the old days, when anchors always just sat, they typically wore jeans or shorts below their coat and tie (or blouse for the women). Guess they can't do that anymore.

I think the point is that the directors want things to look visually active, not static. That's why they use all the moving graphics, and now why they have people get up, stand in different places, hold up their i-pad, walk around, etc.

Remember the old Eyewitness News style opening when the anchors would walk quickly onto the set from off camera, then sit down? It was supposed to look dramatic, like they'd just come from the scene of some exciting story.

That classic KABC open with some of the anchor team walking on to the set at the beginning was interesting. I agree it was probably meant to be "urgent and dramatic", but it probably was also a necessity, as KABC typically changed the anchor team at 5 and 6.

Here is what it looked like in 1979. Notice Jerry and Christine were already in place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGSjfvCB65M

 

[searadiofreak]

And LKeller, here's one for you...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjN4TGNXAM0&feature=related

 

[formeraa]

Yeah, I remember the KIRO experiment. I think that everyone in Seattle was talking about going "out of the box", but nobody was watching KIRO.

That being said, WHDH in Boston tried it in the late 80's on their then-new 5pm newscast. Dave Wright (?) was the primary anchor and walked around the newsroom speaking to reporters at their desks. After about a year, Dave had a mild heart attack and the experiment ended. It was replaced by a traditional newscast with RD Sahl and Diana Williams.