How to Create a Bridge for a TV News Report

A bridge is a stand-up that falls in the middle of the reporter's package. It's a transition. A bridge can be used either to clarify something that you're talking about or to introduce a totally separate point. Follow these steps to create a bridge for a TV news report.

Instructions

1. Think ahead of time of exactly what kind of stand-up bridge you'll want in your package. It needs to be written in a way that flows with the rest of the story. It shouldn't stand out and seem like an uncomfortable transition.

2. Assess if there's something in your story that the viewer may not be able to understand without a display. For instance, if you're talking about how to tell when ground beef is past its prime, do a bridge holding a meat container and showing viewers what to look for--brown instead of red meat.

3. Plan how to say your bridge, even though you probably don't have the package written yet. You have to think fast while you're in the field. You want to sound natural and like you planned the bridge well.

4. Use the bridge to transition from one point to another. If, for instance, you're segueing from kittens being rescued by the SPCA to them going home to nice families, you can do your bridge stand-up outside one of the homes they're going to.

5. Substitute a bridge stand-up for a lack of video. This is especially helpful when doing video-challenged stories, such as political stories. Stand in front of the capitol building and say a paragraph that you need to emphasize, but have no video to support.

6. Be creative. This is a key when it comes to stand-up bridges. The more creative you can be, the better.