How can you ensure the tone of your news package is appropriate?

Our purpose is to reflect like a mirror the precise tonal reality of the story. It may be emotional, numbers driven or anywhere in between. To ensure our tone is accurate we must also ensure our opinion or agenda never influence the reality. When we have the facts, interviews, and context clear: we write, edit, pace the story based on the info gathered. When the story warrants emotion: reflect accurately with pacing, pausing, sentence duration, story structure, sound bites, nat pops, etc. If there are two sides: both must be reflected accurately as facts dictate. If the story is more data driven: again tone reflects reality. Your voice, pacing, words etc set the tone the viewer will receive: based on facts, not opinion, and not agenda.

Couple of things to consider.. 1. Is it respectful? 2. Is it factual? 3. Does it empathize? 4. Has it considered the experiences of the people involved? Tone carries intention. By all means be sensitive but objective. Is it about a marginalized group? women and children, or does it touch on culture, whatever it is, always a good thing to consider the language used, ensuring that it's respectful and conveys the message or story the most ethically possible way.

You need to ensure that your tone is appropriate for the purpose, context, and audience of your news package. Understand your Context and adjust specifically.

Adding a perspective to your news package is important to provide depth and context to the story. Depending on the topic and audience, you can incorporate expert opinions, interviews, or analysis to offer different viewpoints. This can help your audience better understand the nuances of the issue and make informed judgments. However, it's crucial to maintain objectivity and balance by presenting a range of perspectives when applicable. In order to avoid perpetuating stereotypes or portray stereotypical imagery in your reporting.

Voicing can be the difference between success and failure in the tone of our stories. Feel the tone you seek, when you speak. Your voice will be the mirror your viewers feel. Keys: Pacing of speech...pausing for impact...talking in phrases vs sentences to convey intended tone. Inflection--appropriate inflection on key words can change the entire tone. Read it to yourself out loud until the inflection "feels" right. How does it feel in your gut? In your heart? Truly--feel the correct inflection, pace, trust your instinct. And, then get another opinion to make sure you're on target.

The strongest teaching method for intended tone was listening/watching/reviewing my story over and over after it aired. We are our own strongest critics. How was my pacing? Did my inflection add or detract? Did that pause fit? Should it have been longer or shorter? How did that voice track impact the tone? Did that natural sound pop work? I would watch from multiple perspectives: someone who knew nothing of this story until watching it--how did I feel? Tone must be authentic--was the tone true to the reality? I would watch from the perspective of video only, sound bites only, nat pops only, story structure only. Did I set up the impact correctly. Was my opening line strong, appropriate, effective in setting tone?

As you gain more experience and grow, you’ll develop your own style - and voice. Along the way seek input from others who you respect. Ideally, you’ll have time to get someone to watch your package before it airs. This is part of what your Executive Producer should be doing - and your News Director. Put your ego aside. Listen to their input. You’ve got this!