Broadcast Journalism

I record b-roll during an art gallery opening at my school Sep. 19, 2024.

My first foray into broadcast journalism was none other than my elementary school's daily announcements program. Little did I know that I’d find myself returning to that very same medium seven years later.

With no formal broadcast program separate from The Standard at ASL, I’ve made it a priority to grow this area during my time as Editor-in-Chief: Online. Below are videos I’ve produced as part of that effort. My first attempt — covering an art gallery opening (see image above) — was a learning experience to say the least. I fumbled with the tripod, couldn’t find a quiet interview spot, forgot to connect the mics to the camera properly and lost all the audio. It wasn’t my best work. So, I scrapped it, took it as a lesson and kept going. Below are some of my favorite videos I've made since.

Lunar New Year celebration

This video was an exciting opportunity to refine the skills I’d gained in my first two videos, this time without the setbacks I’d previously faced. From shot planning to editing, I focused on crafting a clear narrative and including visually engaging B-roll that aligned with what was being talked about to enhance the viewer’s experience. The final product captured the richness of the celebration and its diverse cultural elements in a way that text alone wouldn't have been able to convey. Click here to watch the video on our website. 

Recognitions: Best of SNO (2025)

The Standard gallery exhibition opening

After my first video experience with the Broadcast Editor (below), I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone and work solo on my second video. I quickly learned the importance of double-checking audio equipment after realizing I had to re-record one of my interviews — the one with my journalism adviser — due to the microphone not working and the background noise being too overpowering. Unfortunately, I was unable to re-interview Hamish Stephenson ('14) due to the fact that he no longer attends ASL. Despite this setback, I was proud of how the final piece came together, especially the B-roll footage, which I dedicated extra time to capturing. Click here to watch the video on our website.

Late Cafe

Collaborating with the Broadcast Editor on my first-ever video was both exhilarating and a bit daunting — We both captured footage and interviewed the sources together, and I edited the video together. From learning how to actually operate the cameras to experimenting with different shots, I discovered how much nuance goes into crafting a compelling broadcast piece for viewers. This video lended itself particularly well to the broadcast format given the event featured musical performances. In the end, our project not only elevated my technical skills but also increased my confidence in myself and my abilities, as I went on to create videos on my own after the fact. Click here to watch the video on our website.

Recognitions: Best of SNO (2024)

I’d never ventured into audio storytelling before this year, but as EIC: Online, I was eager to expand my skill set. If anything, it felt necessary. How was I meant to lead a team of reporters and editors, coaching them through audio and creating podcasts, if I had never made one myself? 

Through the process of making the podcast below, I learned how to balance audio levels and craft a cohesive narrative around two interview subjects. I used my school’s recording studio, which provided access to professional equipment and helped improve the overall sound quality, and then used GarageBand to edit the episode. This experience reinforced my belief in pushing personal boundaries and experimenting with new mediums to elevate our publication’s journalistic impact. Click here to listen to the podcast on our website.

Recognitions: Best of SNO (2024)

While attending the Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute, I learned countless tips and tricks about audio. Below are my notes from a session with audio journalist Lindsey Krat, where I produced short podcasts on fun topics like cherubs' first crushes using Audacity. 

Barely awake at 4:30 a.m., I set out to capture ASL's annual Senior Sunrise tradition in a way that truly conveyed the excitement and sense of unity among the senior class. With the music and bubbly ambiance, I thought no better way to cover it but through an Instagram reel, which allowed me to share the moment with the student body in a highly engaging and immediate way. While battling some severe sleep deprivation, I edited the video, addressed edits from the Social Media Editor and published it on the same day. Click the image below to watch the reel.

The result was one that I am immensely proud of, especially considering it is one of the only reels The Standard has ever published. Hearing enthusiastic feedback from both students and parents made it all worth it, and that was reflected in the analytics — This reel remains The Standard's most viewed Instagram post with almost 3,000 views and 12 hours of watch time, and it's also our third most liked post.

I plan to make a similar reel during Senior Sunset in June, when Grade 12 students once again gather at Primrose Hill, this time wearing their college shirts. Using the lessons I learned from my Senior Sunrise reel and other broadcast experience this year, I will record interviews farther from the top of the hill to decrease background noise and overlay b-roll during interviews.

At the Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute, I had the opportunity to write my own script and record it in their studio. I learned the basics of anchoring — from posture, pacing and diction to reading naturally from a teleprompter — as well as how a professional studio is set up behind the scenes. 

One of my key takeaways was how to write a broadcast script clearly and concisely, avoiding overly complicated sentences to ensure smooth delivery. Unfortunately, I don’t have a recording of the segment as it wasn’t shared with us, but the experience was invaluable in building my understanding of broadcast journalism.

Next year, I plan to join the Northwestern News Network to further explore broadcast journalism as I continue to refine my interests and determine the path I’d like to pursue in the field.

Live streaming sports games is a relatively new addition to The Standard, launched just a few months before I stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief: Online. This year, I’ve worked to grow this platform alongside a dedicated reporter, Noelle, who has a strong interest in sports broadcasting. The Standard has produced more livestreams this year than in any previous year, as shown below. While I’d love to see this area expand further, limited interest has made it more of a niche endeavor — but I’ve encouraged reporters to step outside their comfort zones and explore the unique opportunities live broadcasting offers.

Noelle also created a Livestream Guide, which I edited and added to our Standard Everything Guide to make it easily accessible for the rest of our staff. By integrating it into our central resource document, I aimed to encourage more reporters to get involved and make live streaming a more approachable and sustainable part of our coverage.

Learn more about how we promote live streams to our audience, as well as our plans to begin live coverage of sports games alongside them, in the Learn more about our plans to begin live coverage of sports games alongside livestreams, as well as how we promote them, in the Web and Social Media section.

Standard News Network is our weekly broadcast news show, launched just a year ago. With each episode, the team continues to grow and refine production. Below is the guidelines document I edited to help streamline the workflow and ensure consistency in creating each video.

Below are a few examples of edits I’ve provided for SNN videos this year. As part of my role, I edit after the Broadcast Editor and the DEIC: Online. I look out for audio issues, clean cuts and any misspellings or written errors, to name a few. These edits help strengthen the quality of each episode and support the growth of our broadcast team as we continue to refine our work.

To learn about how I've promoted SNN within the school community, visit the Marketing and Audience Engagement section.

At the beginning of the year, I updated the video and podcast checklists on FLOW to clarify expectations for staff and ensure our work aligned with SNO’s new submission standards. This provided consistency, improved quality and helped streamline the process of meeting the requirements for the SNO multimedia badge, as each reporter is required to tick off all the boxes on the checklist prior to submitting their piece to the section editor.

Similarly, at the start of the year, I decided to transition our podcast publishing from SoundCloud to Spotify. This change streamlined our embeds, making them cleaner and more consistent across our website, while also offering a more user-friendly experience for both our staff and listeners, as shown below.

This badge has always been one of the most challenging for us to earn — Last year, we secured it on the final day before the SNO submission deadline, just in time to become a Distinguished Site. Determined to reach that milestone earlier this year, I focused on addressing the area where we’ve historically struggled most: getting videos and podcasts approved. To stay on track, I regularly checked in with our Broadcast Editor to monitor progress and offer support. As a result, we earned the Multimedia Badge Dec. 10, 2024, achieving our goal and strengthening our broadcast program along the way.

Visit the Web and Social Media section for more information about our journey to becoming a Distinguished Site.