All Crime, All the Time

I don't know about you, but after watching some local t.v. newscasts, I feel like I've been bludgeoned. If you're producing them night after night, I know you must be feeling the same way. Don't be afraid to jettison mindless crime stories. There's easy. We shoot them. But that doesn't mean you need to put every single one of them in your show.

When you're considering a crime story, ask yourself:
-What kind of video and sound do I have? (Victim being wheeled out and screaming relatives-- or scene that's four hours old?)
-Who does this story impact? (Could most of my viewers care less?)
-Is this ongoing?(As in, is the suspect in custody or still on the loose?)
-Is there another story I would really rather put in instead of this?

Don't be afraid to lighten up your show or put in non-traditional stories. Maybe there's a talker you found on the web or in a magazine. Is anybody going to be talking about the city's 52nd shooting tomorrow? Probably not. Just something to consider.

The newspaper has a world, metro, business and life section. No reason why your show can't too. Take risks. Get feedback from the normal (read: non-news) people in your life. Do they watch news? Why, why not? Pardon the pun, but you'll find most people don't live and die on daily crime stories.