Michael Sheward, executive director of NAGC, is also the president of the Virginia-based Marketing Communications Strategies. He shared several pointers for crafting and perfecting VNRs:
- Video news releases must contain news. If it’s not news in the eyes of the media, it won’t be on the news on TV.
- If you use elaborate special effects that normally aren’t used in news programs, it’s likely your VNR won’t make the cut.
- Don’t commercialize your tape by turning it into an obvious product or service promotion.
- Use real, identifiable people, not actors, to depict any visual situation.
- The content of a VNR should be measured by the same standards for accuracy, honesty, and truth that yours would use to prepare a print news release of the same information.
- All individuals in the video should be accurately identified by name, title, and organization or affiliations. Always clearly identify the VNR’s sponsoring company or organization, both on the introductory credits and on the label on the outside of the tape.
- Include contact information for someone who the news station can reach if they have questions.
- When scripting or shooting a VNR, put yourself in the position of the TV news producer or reporter. Think of how producers or reporters would want to tell your news story to their viewers and then script, shoot and edit your VNR in the same fashion.
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