Newspaper Reporting Terms

Often they are called Astons, taken from the name of a company which supplied them for a long time.They are also known as cap gens (cg) as they are often created by a caption generator. News Agency Video, audio and text-based An organisation set up to provide news material to many journalists.Running to time Video and audio A report or programme is "running to time" if it's on target to finish at a certain time.

The producer has to make sure their programme doesn't overrun.

Rushes Video Video filmed by a camera crew that requires editing.

Correspondent Video, audio and text-based A journalist who is an expert in a particular subject who reports on that kind of news e.g.

a cricket correspondent, arts correspondent or Middle East correspondent.

File Video, audio and text-based To send a report back from a location.

Float Video The name for a series of pictures when a presenter is talking or interviewing a guest but you can't see them on the screen.It could be a still picture or photo illustrating the story.Chroma-key Video A process which allows you to film a presenter in front of a blank screen and add in different pictures behind, making it look as though they are somewhere else. In the BBC it is often called Colour Separation Overlay (CSO ) Contacts book Video, audio and text-based The place journalists keep the names, addresses and phone numbers of the people they meet and speak to.Having a log makes it easier to assemble or edit the report. In news programmes it is often the name and job title of the person speaking but you can also have date supers.They are called supers because they are superimposed over the person who is speaking.The pictures you see are called a float because they are floated over the voice of the presenter.They are used to illustrate what the presenter or guest is talking about.Actuality, shorted to Act Audio Audio material recorded on location.In news programmes it is usually someone speaking and lasts for 10 to 20 seconds. In features and magazine programmes however, the word actuality is often taken to mean recorded material that isn't speech. Alt tag Text-based Words that appear when you hover the cursor over a picture that describe the picture. Atmos, short for atmosphere Video and audio Background noise recorded on location.Examples include Reuters, Associated Press (AP) and Agence France Presse (AFP). Panel Video The vision mixing equipment in a TV gallery.News agency wires, sometimes just called wires Video, audio and text-based The latest news stories written by journalists from different news agencies around the world and fed into a computer system. Out Of Vision, shortened to OOV Video The name for a shot when a presenter is talking but you can't see them on the screen. Picture feeds Video Video that has been provided by news agencies which media organisations, like the BBC, pay to use.