Teachers Fired In Rhode Island

The following is the script for the first minute of a CNN news story.


ESTABLISHING SHOT- CENTRAL FALLS HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING. TAG TOP RIGHT,”CENTRAL FALLS TEACHERS UNION.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: This is Central Falls High School in Rhode Island…

FIVE STUDENT’S LEGS AND FEET ON A SIDEWALK. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WLNE.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: …Where the poorest students in the state go to school.

WIDE SHOT OF SCHOOL FROM ACROSS THE STREET, STUDENTS ON THE SIDEWALK, CARS DRIVING BY. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WLNE.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: 75% of the district lives in poverty.

STUDENT WITH BLACK JACKET AND BLACK BACKPACK. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WLNE.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: A good education may be their only shot…

FRONT OF SCHOOL, STUDENTS WALKING. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WLNE.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: …at a brighter future.

CLOSE UP OF STUDENT’S BACKPACK, ZOOM OUT, A LOT OF STUDENTS. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WLNE.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: So to give these students a better chance…

SUPERINTENDENT AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SURROUNDED BY OTHER PEOPLE. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WJAR.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: Central Falls Superintendent this week…

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SHOWING OTHER ATTENDEES. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WJAR.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: …did something so radical, so unheard of…

FEMALE IN BASKETBALL UNIFORM WITH ARM AROUND BALDING MAN. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WJAR.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: …it’s captured the nation’s attention.

PROTEST, PEOPLE WEARING RED, HOLDING SIGNS. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WJAR.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: She cleaned house. Fired dozens of teachers…

CLOSE UP OF PROTESTERS. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WJAR.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: …Because the district says…

SHOT OF PROTESTERS’ BACKS FROM THE BOARDERS. TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: …they refuse to spend more times with students to improve test scores.

CLOSE UP SHOT OF DR. FRAN GALLO. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WLNE.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.” CENTER TAG, “DR. FRAN GALLO. SUPERINTENDENT, CENTRAL FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT”
Dr. Fran Gallo: We have a serious problem. When you have a 48% graduation rate, uh, we lose more children than we graduate.

SIDE SHOT OF SCHOOL, BUILDING TO THE LEFT, STUDENTS ON SIDEWALK TO THE RIGHT. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WLNE.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: Central Falls is one of the…

CENTRAL FALLS HIGH SCHOOL STAND UP SIGN ON SCHOOL LAWN. SIGN SAYS, “CENTRAL FALLS HIGH SCHOOL. HOME GAMES THIS WEEK. THU-BOYS BBALL 5:30/7PM. FRI- GIRLS BBALL 5:30/7PM.” TAG TOP RIGHT,“WLNE.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: …lowest performing schools in the state.

ANGLE SHOT OF HIGH SCHOOL, STUDENTS OUTSIDE. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WLNE.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: Of the 800 students…

SHOT TO STUDENT’S LEGS WALKING. TAG TOP RIGHT,“WLNE.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: …65% are Hispanic.

SHOT OF HIGH SCHOOL GIFT FROM CLASS OF 2004 SIGN. IT SAYS, “CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CFHS CLASS OF 2011 NECAP READING SCORES UP TO 55% PROFICIENCY.” TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: For most, English is a second language.

SCHOOL DOOR OPENING. TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: Half are failing every subject.

ANGLE SHOT, SCHOOL SIGN AND BUILDING. TAG BOTTOM RIGHT, “CNN.”
Female newscaster: Just 55% are skilled in reading, only 7% proficient in math.

ONE MINUTE CUT OFF


Three observations using the Hilliard book:


My first observation comes from page 136, when Hilliard states, “use direct statements rather then questions.” This news story did a good job of directly relaying the information. They used short sentences and simple language.

Another observation is also from page 136. Hilliard states, "Probably the most difficult job for the television or radio news writer is to select out of the myriad details the most salient points and to present them in a very short time.” I think that the writer did a good job of this when it came to this story. In the first minute alone, a lot of information was revealed, and there was even time for an interview.

My last observation is when the news chapter discusses visuals. Hilliard writes, “…show what is happening; don’t tell about it” (162). This news clip changes the scene at a fast pace. The newscaster could hardly finish a sentence before the scene was changed. It showed what the school looks like, the students, the superintendent, and the teacher’s protest.