Hoosier Star Broadcast Full Evaluation
*READ BEFORE BEGINNING CRITIQUE*

Thank you for helping IHSPA with the Hoosier Star Student Media Evaluation Service!

Overall, Hoosier Star judges should be looking for student media outlets that:
1. Combine a variety of storytelling formats to give the audience a well-rounded insight into the school and community;

2. Enhance the appearance with visuals appropriate for the format, incorporating current design trends;

3. Coordinate the overall coverage and content so a consistent, attractive and reader-friendly appearance is established and maintained throughout the school year;

4. Follow the highest standards of legal and ethical behavior such as those set forth by the Society of Professional Journalists, First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Indiana academic standards for the Journalism and Student Media courses (http://ihspa.net/indianajournalismstandards);

5. Adhere to the Indiana High School Press Association’s core values of truth, courage, integrity, and freedom.

Please rate each area of the criteria accordingly and provide written feedback in a manner that encourages staffs to improve by using the guidelines. IHSPA requires that comments be written in a constructive manner and not in a way that is deemed overly critical or unrealistic. Judges may also recognize specific content and/or ideas as “areas of distinction” and identify the student-produced material that earned this honor.

Thanks again for sharing your time and expertise to help Hoosier student journalists and their advisers!
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School Name *
Broadcast Program Name *
Staff Size *
COVERAGE/CONTENT
Does the program include a variety of news stories, including features, breaking news, issues and newsworthy profiles? 

Are the stories relevant to the primary audience, whether it’s just students and faculty, or whether it extends to the greater community and beyond via cable and/or the web? 

Are the day-to-day lives of students reflected in the stories? Do stories cover timely issues of interest to student viewers and others?

Does news take precedent over features and sports, unless it’s appropriate for it not to? 

Do reporters place an emphasis on the “why” and “how” of stories? 

Are feature stories varied to include both school-sponsored and non-school activities? 

Is the subject matter significant and appropriate for the time allotted? 
Coverage/Content Strengths & Weaknesses
 *
Coverage/Content Rating *
Distinction
WRITING/EDITING
Do stories have strong opens that entice viewers? 

Are scripts in active voice, emphasizing simple sentences with one thought per sentence? 

Are transitions effective? Do they make the object of the previous sentence the subject of the next sentence or vice versa? 

Do writers effectively use devices like repetition of key words to help readers understand? 

Do writers write to the video, using “hit-and-run” writing to remind viewers of the relationship of the words to the pictures? Do writers then “run” from the video by providing additional information in the script? 

Do scripts exhibit the hallmarks of grammatical writing that follows AP broadcast style? 

In VOs, do writers still remember to attribute information to a source? 

In VO/SOTs, do writers properly balance VOs with sound bites, not relying on sound bites to tell the entire story? 

Are sounds bites effective and revealing of the subject or the issue at hand? 

Do stories have strong “closes” that effectively summarize the story and remind viewers of the important points in the stories? Do the closes avoid stating the reporters’ opinions? 
Writing/Editing Strengths & Weaknesses
 *
Writing/Editing Rating *
Distinction
ON-AIR PERFORMANCE/CONTINUITY
Does the show have an effective open that clearly brands the program as something of value to the primary audiences? 

Does the staff report on important news, sports and features from program to program in a consistent manner? 

Is there continuity also from story to story in the manner it’s introduced and presented by anchors and reporters? 

Are more-important stories given more time and prominent placement in the run-down than less-important stories? 

Is there continuity within a story (meaning stories flow smoothly, pictures and words match, and all stories have beginnings, middles and ends)? 

Are stories balanced, with all credible sides presented? Are stories objective in their choice of words and pictures? 

Are anchors confident and do they appear natural in front of the camera? 

Are sound bites effective and revealing of the subject or the issue at hand? 

Does all “talent” speak in a concise, clear, authoritative manner and at a proper pace so that the audience can understand what is being said? 

In the event of interviews, is there a proper balance between shots of the interviewer and the interviewee? Are questions fair and easy to understand? 
On-Air Performance/Continuity Strengths & Weaknesses
 *
On-Air Performance/Continuity Rating *
Distinction
VIDEOGRAPHY
Are all shots steady and is it clear that camera operators (almost always) used tripods to capture images? 

Are shots in focus and properly white-balanced? 

Is there proper contrast in all shots, and are subjects properly lit? 

Do camera operators capture compelling establishing shots that immediately demand the viewer’s attention? 

Do camera operators use a variety of shots (close-ups, medium and wide shots) to provide different perspectives for the audience? 

Do camera operators limit gimmick shots like zooms and pans, and if they do use them, do they do them effectively? 

Do camera operators effectively use the rule-of-thirds to create a center of visual interest for their subjects? 

In shooting sports, do camera operators capture the event’s pivotal moments? 

Are shots edited to avoid jump-cuts in the story? 

When editing, do camera operators allow shots to remain on screen for the proper amount of time: long enough for viewers to understand, but not so long that they become bored? 
Videography Strengths & Weaknesses
 *
Videography Rating *
Distinction
TECHNICAL QUALITY
Does the staff take advantage of a studio to provide a “home” for the show, even if the show goes “on location” for a show? 

Is the studio set up, no matter how rudimentary, appropriate to the tone and quality of the show? 

Does studio lighting provide proper contrast, accurate color reproduction and proper exposure? 

Does lighting for all stories provide proper contract, accurate color reproduction and proper exposure? 

Does the staff take advantage of post-production to enhance the viewer’s understanding of stories? 

Are video editing techniques consistent from one story to another? 

Are audio levels clear and crisp and properly balanced in the studio? 

Are audio levels consistent from source to source and from story to story? 

Are transitions from story to story appropriate and glitch free? 

Do graphics — both OTS graphics and lower-third graphics — enhance stories and explain significance to viewers? 
Technical Quality Strengths & Weaknesses
 *
Technical Quality Rating *
Distinction
OVERALL EVALUATION
SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES
What are three things the staff can do to improve?
Strategy 1
 *
Strategy 2
 *
Strategy 3
 *
RATING
All submissions ranked “superior” or “excellent” are exceptionally well done and finalists for the Hoosier Star, Indiana's top distinction for scholastic journalism. 
Broadcast Overall *
Final Comments *
Judge Name
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