RTDNA has compiled a checklist for your newsroom ahead of Election Day.
The checklist can be found here.
Your WBA wishes you good luck in your election coverage. Thank you for your service to your local communities.
Before the pandemic, journalists could always count on finding elusive public officials by going to a board or committee meeting. With many of those meetings being held online, public officials are finding it easier to avoid journalists and the public.
How are journalists getting around this and other hurdles brought about by the pandemic? What are their legal options?
The Wisconsin Newspaper Association and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association have assembled a panel of journalists and experts on open government to discuss these issues.
Join us at 10 a.m. Nov. 19 via Zoom for this educational webinar. The session is open to the public and there is no cost to attend.
Panelists:
April Barker
Scott, Bublitz and Engel S.C.
Juli Buehler
WLUK-TV
Bill Lueders
Wisconsin Freedom of
Information Council
Emily Hamer
Wisconsin State Journal
Moderator:
Amanda St. Hilaire
WITI-TV
WFRV-TV in Green Bay hosted a debate Monday between Rep. Mike Gallagher and challenger Amanda Stuck.
The one-hour debate was moderated by Local 5 News anchors Tom Zalaski and Michele McCormack, who anchor WFRV-TV’s 5, 6, and 10 p.m. newscasts.
“This type of programming is critical to our local mission here at WFRV-TV and we are proud our team was able to put together a debate format that was acceptable to the candidates and that both agreed to participate,” said WFRV TV’s Vice-President and General Manager Mike Smith.
The debate is available for viewing here.
Matt Sinn is WISN-TV’s new news director. Previously, Sinn was the assistant news director at the station.
Sinn brings decades of experience to this position, having served in diverse roles across broadcast journalism – ranging from producing cutting-edge newscasts to managing dynamic newsrooms.
“Following an extensive nationwide search, I was drawn back to our own newsroom to find the right person to lead it, said Jan Wade, president and general manager of WISN 12. “Matt is an exceptional journalist, and most importantly he’s been part of every major story that has impacted our newsroom and our community for years. He’s knows the 12 News Team, he knows the mission of the newsroom, and he knows what it takes to deliver quality journalism to our viewers.”
Sinn replaces Ben Hart, who elevated to general manager at Hearst-owned WJCL-TV in Savannah, Georgia. Sinn has been critical to WISN 12’s success since 2015, where he has helped lead the station through tumultuous news events such as the Sherman Park unrest, an international pandemic, protests over policing and racial equality, multiple state-wide and local elections, a mass shooting at MillerCoors, and severe weather.
“As a journalist, there is nothing more important to me than building trust, both with my team here at WISN and in the greater Milwaukee area. To do that, we will keep asking the tough questions, holding people accountable, and being a champion for the community,” Sinn said. “I’ve been part of the most competitive news market in the country for the past five years, and I’m excited to continue WISN’s pedigree of ‘Leading the Way,’ as real journalism has never been more important than right now.”
Prior to joining WISN 12, Sinn served in numerous positions at WTSP-TV News in Tampa, Florida, including executive producer, nightside manager, and special projects producer. His responsibilities in those roles included supervising newsroom employees, managing engaging content, assisting in staffing decisions, and providing support for colleagues involving writing, editing, and more.
Taylor Lasenby will join WISC-TV as a reporter and weekend anchor.
Lasenby was introduced Friday on News 3 This Morning and will make her on-air debut this week.
Lasenby previously worked in Chattanooga.
If you’re looking to freshen up your broadcast writing and speaking skills, a recent WBA webinar, free to WBA members, is now available to view on demand.
“Writing and Speaking for Broadcast” is focused on how to make your writing and speaking conversational. It needs to be HUMAN. We shouldn’t sound like we’re reading a newspaper out loud.
The session is presented by Joe Little from KNSD-TV San Diego. You can watch it here.
All the WBA webinars that are available on demand are linked here.
Wisconsin Public Radio is hosting a live debate for the candidates in the race for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District seat.
The debate will air Oct. 26 at 10 a.m. and will feature the incumbent Democratic candidate Ron Kind, La Crosse, and Republican challenger Derrick Van Orden, Hager City. Ezra Wall, host of WPR’s La Crosse-based “Newsmakers,” will moderate the discussion. The general election is on Nov. 3.
The debate will be broadcast on these stations of The Ideas Network: 90.3/La Crosse, 88.3/Menomonie-Eau Claire, 99.1/Stevens Point, 89.1/Adams-Wisconsin Rapids, 88.7/River Falls, 91.3/Highland, AM 930/Auburndale, 100.9/Marshfield, 91.9/Wausau and 101.3/Wausau, 90.3/Park Falls, and 89.9/Rhinelander.
Newsradio 620 WTMJ hosted its annual signature radio broadcast on Tuesday, Oct. 13 called “WTMJ 2021.” The on-air event looks at events and issues that will shape the year ahead.
The special day of programming aired from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Newsradio 620 WTMJ.
“Every year, WTMJ brings our listeners an all-day look at the issues shaping our future,” said Steve Wexler, vice president and market manager, GKB Milwaukee. “Little did we know how tumultuous a year 2020 would turn out be when we gathered last year.”
Topics covered included presidential politics, public safety, sports in the age of COVID-19, healthcare, entertainment, the economy, education, and the racial divide.
Bobby Falat has joined WAOW-TV in Wausau as anchor on Wake Up Wisconsin.
Falat most recently worked at KTWO-TV in Casper, Wyoming. He’ll anchor alongside Neena Pacholke.
He replaces Josh Gregory, who took a job last month in Ohio.
Milwaukee radio station WTMJ-AM was honored with a 2020 National Murrow Award for its afternoon newscast, Wisconsin’s Afternoon News.
The station competed with other large market radio stations from across the country.
The Radio Television Digital News Association has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Murrow set as a standard for the profession of electronic journalism.
The full list of winners is available here.
WBA Newsroom