Save the Date: Oct 17 TAB Southwest Broadcast Newsroom Workshop in Round Rock

Registration opens in early September for TAB's annual Southwest Broadcast Newsroom Workshop.
Mark your calendars and save the date - this year's workshop takes place on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Round Rock campus of Texas State University from 8:30 am to 6 pm.

TAB's annual newsroom training event features nationally recognized newsroom trainers and respected local journalists presenting sessions on a variety of newsgathering topics for Texas broadcast news professionals and developing student journalists soon to enter the professional newsroom.

National presenters include Al Tompkins, national Murrow award winner Brendan Keefe (WANF-TV), and past RTDNA chairman Kevin Benz of Kevin Benz News.

Here are some of the topics this year's workshop will cover:

• Artificial Intelligence and Newsgathering: the workshop will have multiple sessions on how individual reporters and newsrooms in general can creatively use AI in the newsgathering process. Used properly and ethically, AI can be an incredible aid.
• Ethical Decision-Making: journalists make decisions every day, choosing what stories to cover, as well as what audio, visual or other elements to include or disregard. A bad call can significantly impact careers and a newsroom's reputation. Using real life examples, Kevin Benz will explore how to make solid, journalistically sound decisions on a consistent basis, especially when dealing with tough, emotionally charged stories on deadline.
• Honing MMJ Skills: there are two sessions to develop MMJ skills, taught by national award-winning MMJ Brendan Keefe. He'll cover the need-to-know basics of shooting, sound, lighting, and editing for daily turn stories, to advanced skills such as computer animation to multi-camera shoots on a budget. Keefe's MMJ investigation of flock cameras was so visually impressive that Last Week Tonight's John Oliver said, "The Oscar for Cinematography goes to that news piece."
• The Art of the Interview: the skill of interviewing is at the core of journalism. Veteran newsman Al Tompkins will show how to earn the trust of the people who are sharing their stories, as well as how to talk with reluctant or vulnerable people. It all comes down to focused questions that are proven to generate memorable moments for storytelling.
• Mastering Live Shots: learn how to plan and execute memorable and meaningful live shots.
• The Crisis of Trust: a deep dive into the growing problem of audience distrust in reliable journalism and the tangible, actionable ways newsrooms can work to rebuild it.
• Creativity on Deadline: how to overcome typical daily obstacles to make memorable, compelling news stories.

TAB will also have two sessions specifically for the student journalists in attendance - one on making the transition from classroom to newsroom, and another on job-seeking do's and don'ts featuring radio and television station news directors.

TAB will alert station news directors and general managers once the all-day schedule and registration link is posted on the TAB website. Until then, save the Oct. 17 date!

Questions? Contact TAB's Michael Schneider or call (512) 322-9944.