News Production Personnel

Nontechnical News Production personnel:

Producer (Senior Broadcast Journalist): In charge of producing a news bulletin and responsible for all personnel working on the production process and for coordinating technical and nontechnical production elements. Often serves as writer and occasionally as director.

Production assistant (PA) or Broadcast Assistant (BA): Assists producer and director during actual production. During rehearsal takes notes of producer’s and/or director’s suggestions for show improvement.

News director (Editor-in-charge): In charge of all news operations and bears ultimate responsibility for all newscasts.

Assignment editor: Assigns reporters to specific events to be covered.

Reporter: Gathers the stories. Often reports on-camera from the field.

Video journalist (VJ): Reporter who shoots and edits his or her own footage.

Script writer: At smaller stations (e.g. BBC Arabic) and in corporate television, the scripts are often written by the director or producer.

Anchor: Principal presenter of newscast, normally from a studio set.

Director: In charge of directing talent and technical operations and ultimately responsible for transforming a script into effective video and audio messages. At small stations may often be the producer as well.

Floor manager: In charge of all activities on the studio floor. Coordinates talent, relays director’s cues to talent, and supervises floor personnel. Except for large operations, is responsible for setting up scenery and dressing the set - Also called floor director and stage manager.

Art director: In charge of the creative design aspects of show (set design, location, and/or graphics).

Graphic artist: Prepares computer graphics, titles, charts, and electronic backgrounds.

Makeup artist: Does the makeup for all talent.

Costume designer (Stylist): Supervises how the talent look like on screen.

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 Technical News Production personnel:

Sound designer: Constructs the complete sound track (dialogue and sound effects) in post-production.

Camera operators: Operate the cameras.

Director of photography (DOP): In charge of compositing the shots and occasionally lighting the studio

Lighting director (LD): In charge of lighting.

Audio technician: In charge of all audio operations. Works audio console during the show - Also called audio engineer.

Character generator (C.G.) operator: Types and/or recalls from the computer the names and other graphic material to be integrated with the video image.

Video / picture editor: Operates post-production editing equipment. Often makes or assists in creative editing decisions.