What's in a name? Pkg, mini-pkg or tracked vosot?

Terminology can be confusing. What one station calls one thing can be totally different when you get your next job in a new market.

In general, I consider a mini-pkg the same as a regular pkg except shorter. So in terms of writing of a mini-pkg, there might be nats off the top, quick sots and track... but it's generally not gonna run more than 1:00 or 1:05... whereas I think most station pkg lengths are 1:20 or 1:30 unless it's a special or promoted piece.

When I say voice a vosot... I'm thinking of a reporter who's just tracking a vosot script they may have just used for an earlier hit. They shoot a standup in the field and cover the middle part with video and insert a bite. Clearly a lot less work than sitting down and writing a whole new pkg. Also, probably easier to edit. I prefer the mini pkg... but maybe you have a reporter who only has time to do a vosot... or... maybe you only have one reporter on staff at night and you're looking to get more faces in the show (a vosot or looklive taped in the field may help you out with that). A funny story- there was once a producer in one of my old newsrooms who barked at a reporter complaining that their story was just a vosot... He said, "Listen, a pkg is just a vosot tracked."

Here's another term we used to use at a newsroom in Phoenix-- "Speedo." I think I've also heard them called "breakers." It was basically a 1:00 mini-pkg, but it had animations off the top and bottom and music under throughout. There was no anchor intro or tag-- it was its own complete unit (and therefore was really easy to float and/or kill). Basically, it was a way to bump in or out of a segment... or even wipe to in the middle of a segment. I liked using them for pacing. I'd pick some interesting story that was in house early and then send it back early for special edit treatment. I've seen some stations do something similar for national or international news "wraps" where they'll wipe between three different stories with music under and animations.

Feel free to experiment. That's the fun of producing! But be careful, because I've also interviewed at stations that thought this concept was an abomination. It depends on your shop/market/community.