Earlier this week, while NPPA Judges were holed up with hundreds of national contest entries, KSTP chief photojournalist Mark Anderson delivered this memo to his staff. Thursday afternoon, KSTP was named the Station of the Year by NPPA.
Attitude is everything; before we go any further we must check this first. This is a daily commitment. It will be challenged on occasions, but a positive attitude is what will set us apart from the good into the great. We are not chauffeurs with cameras. We are people with minds, ideas, hearts and emotions. We are photojournalists. Our stories will reflect who we are as people.
> Our daily mission is to take the viewer on a journey throughout Minnesota and Western Wisconsin or wherever we go to tell a story. We want to win the story! We will do this with an NPPA base style; steady sequenced video and meaningful and compelling natural sound. Everything we shoot will have a beginning, middle, and end. Our stories will have wide, medium, tight and super tight shots, the cornerstone of storytelling and of course, action/reaction. Want to hear a dog chasing a stick on a frozen lake? Put a wireless mic on the dog. Every picture as you know, makes a sound! Ask yourself, I wonder what that picture sounds like?Then mic it!
> The world is your tripod, make the most of it. If you can't use your sticks, use your steady bag. Handheld photography can be steady. Remember to be close and zoomed out wide with your handheld photography, this keeps the image steady. The key is to make sure your handheld style is motivated. If you miss the shot because you were setting up your sticks, well that's a good time to throw out your tripod and get the shot. If Elvis is running naked by a cornfield, just get the darn shot!
> We will be team players, share story ideas, and try to attend editorial meetings. If a difference of opinion arises in the newsroom or news car, we will share them in a professional way. It will command our peers to respect us. Don't leave the station until you have the proper information for your story. Get involved -- don't always rely on your reporter to tell you what the story is -- get engaged with the assignment before you leave the newsroom. The assignment desk is your friend! Know your deadlines, 10 minutes before air! There are few exceptions like late, breaking news. Don't miss your slot. If you are simply running out of time, maybe the story can be broken down to a vo-sot? A package is not the only way to tell a story. Keep it simple sweetie -- throwing 100 pounds into the 10-pound bag is not good. KISS.
We will always be prepared to go live and edit in the field. Use your live shot location as a part of the storytelling process -- not just an afterthought. Try to have a little fun with your live shots, and we are always encouraged to take a risk with our live camera work. There's nothing wrong with motivated camera movement. Key word is motivated!
Safety is a must; you are looked at in the field as people who do it safe and right. We will be like that and even better, no exceptions. Do not die for a story. YOUR safety comes first.
Your are responsible for your actions. Be prepared! Does your pager work? Need fresh batteries? Got tape? Do not leave the station or work with broken or damaged equipment. If your equipment breaks, report it immediately and let the proper people know. CYA!
Communicate! Communicate! Communicate! I can't stress this enough -- we cannot over communicate with each other. Whether it's a voice mail, or e-mail, communication is the core to our success!
If we don't care about our assignment, our viewers won't care. We are going to do our part to make the world a better place. It is up to you. Win the story!
Attitude is everything.
Mark Anderson
KSTP Chief Photojournalist
