Every story has its own backup story.In television news duration of each backup stories should be 50 to 60 seconds.For instance,when the police bursts a inter-state car theft racket,the appropriate backup story could be the latest technologies to prevent car theft or when police seizes a large amount of coins,you could do the reason behind these type of activity(intrinsic value of the coin has exceeded the face value).I remember, an angry mob set fire to a woman and her husband after the body of a 5-year old boy was found in the septic tank of the couple’s house in southern fringes of Calcutta.later,we found that the lady was suffering from Schizophrenia.
An idea instantly stuck to my mind that we can do a backup story on people who are suffering from Schizophrenia who suddenly turn violent,normally they are compassionate people.Similarly,on Valentines day,you can do a story on science of love or romance.In case of suicide bombing,the backup story could be the new technology to detect suicide bomber.
Always remember that backup stories should be compact in nature and at the same time should be interesting also.on 23rd January,the occasion of Netaji Subhas’s birthday,the famous revolutionary leader of India we can focus on the worst statue of Netaji in Shyam Bazar five point crossing in Calcutta which was the poor remake of Maj.Gen. Outram by Sir John Henry Folly.When bird flu or swine flu broke out in India, the immediate backup story would be-animals and humans share diseases,from Ebola,mad cow,yellow fever, Blue Nile(stock footage) which spread to human through animals with interviews with eminent virologists or on Mother’s day-a story of a surrogate mother.
Another interesting story which came to mind on 14th November(the birthday of Jawaharlal Nehru the first prime minister of India,the day observes as children’s day because Mr.Nehru loved children very much)that we celebrate the day with much fun fare but majority of children in India specially girls are sexually abused or sting operation against pedophiles(Adults who desire sex with children).When a reporter asked me which kind of story he could do on the eve of the release of a film of a fictitious private detective character immortalized by Satyajit Ray,I immediately suggested him that he could do a story about the reel life vs. real life private investigator.Always think unconventional aspect of stories.I wonder why we still follow the same conventional news structure.After all,we have to attract viewers.
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