Broadcasting

The broadcast should be a factual and accurate presentation of recent news. Consideration should be given to the organization of the prepared copy with the emphasis on announcing techniques and the editorial. The broadcaster should provide a clear transition to identify the editorial, which may be placed at any point in the broadcast. The suggested time limit for the editorial is one minute, not inclusive of the time spent reading the news story upon which the editorial is based. The substance of the editorial should reflect an understanding of the issue and should suggest an analytical judgment.

Script Requirements: Contestants must have a manuscript available for a judge to review in the round if requested. Contestants must use proper documentation of all source material used in the manuscript. The script may be a hard copy or an electronic version on a device that can be made available to the judge. A judge request for a contestant’s script must be made within the time frame of the round of competition. Should a judge need more extensive review time, the judge should make arrangements through tournament officials.

Coaches should monitor and evaluate student sources to encourage the presentation of relevant news stories through verified factual information and the appreciation and use of news outlets that avoid political leanings.

Procedure: Contestants will prepare the news copy for their presentation prior to the tournament except for the editorial. The arrangement of current news stories should follow a coherent and organized manner to provide an informative presentation. The MIFA office will supply a distinct editorial story for Regional and State Final contests for every round at each level of competition. Editorial news stories provided should range between 150-250 words in total and should be chosen to provoke a wide variety of responses.

All contestants must use only the story that is made available by the Tournament Director for the editorial segment. The Tournament Director will also provide the judge(s) with the story selected for editorial commentary. The judge must return all editorial copies to the tabulation room with his or her ballot.

While original content is not allowed, students may synthesize material from multiple sources for each news story. Choice of editorial topic from outside the provided copy may result in the disqualification of the contestant from further competition; however, openings and closings for broadcasting may include the contestant's name and/or references to local conditions, such as weather and/or traffic conditions. Commercial content is not allowed. Original transitional phrases are acceptable and encouraged. In broadcasting, a transition is a phrase or sentence relating one news story to another news story

Prior to the receipt of the copy, the contestants may draw for or be assigned a presentation order [Speech Activities, Individual Events Activities: Presentation Order]. At eight-minute intervals, following the presentation order, each contestant receives the editorial copy. The contestant has fifteen minutes to cut, edit, write, and integrate the editorial copy into their five-minute broadcast. The contestant may use appropriate resource material (including personal technology) to assist in the preparation of the broadcast; however, the content of the editorial must reflect the words of the broadcaster. The use of technology to confer with external sources is prohibited. Furthermore, the use of pre-written editorials will result in disqualification.

There shall be no communication between contestants during their entire preparation time. The person in charge of the preparation room may dismiss a contestant from the contest if the contestant persists in talking or if the use of personal electronic technology is disruptive. Contestants should not enter the competition room while another speaker is presenting. Entering a room during a broadcast could result in the disqualification of the offending contestant. Following the broadcast, the participant must remain in the contest room until the conclusion of the section unless otherwise indicated by the tournament director. A contestant who leaves the contest room following his or her presentation may be disqualified from further participation in the particular tournament, or a rank of four with no percentage points could be assigned to the contestant for the round in which the individual left the contest room following his or her broadcast.

BASIS FOR DECISION

Oral Presentation: The delivery of the speech should be enthusiastic, direct, sincere, and communicative. The speaker should give the impression of genuineness without affectation in attitude, manner, or appearance. The speaker's delivery should be effective in enlisting and holding the interest of the audience. The speaker may deliver the speech from a manuscript, memory, an outline, or any combination thereof.

Action and Platform Conduct: The speaker should exhibit personality, maintain direct eye contact with the audience, show physical poise, and demonstrate freedom in posture, movement, and gesture. Prompting from the audience is not allowed and could be the basis for disqualification.

Timing: Each presentation must be timed. Timing starts when the presentation by the contestant begins. Either the judge or an alternate timekeeper, under the supervision of the judge, is responsible for using a timing device and for displaying time cards that are clearly visible to the contestant unless the performer prefers not to have visual timing. The number showing on the card should indicate the amount of time remaining. Judges should give an oral report of the actual time at the completion of each performance. Timing must be indicated on the ballot as well as on the contestants' critique sheets.

Presentations that do not conform to the suggested time parameters may be penalized at the discretion of the judge. Penalties are not mandatory for timing irregularities.

HIGH SCHOOL: The Time Limit for Broadcasting in high school is five minutes.

Contestant Evaluation: The ballot must be completely filled out and needs to include the contestant's name and code, the author, the rank, the percentage score, and the time of the presentation. Judges are to complete their ballots legibly. Prior to the completion of the ballot, any potential rule violations should be brought to the attention of tournament administration.

Each judge shall rank the participants as 1,2,3, according to the relative merits of the contestants. All other contestants will receive a rank of 4. The judge shall also assign a percentage score ranging from 100 to 75. No two contestants can be given the same percentage.

All point scores must be assigned in whole integers. One hundred percent must be assigned to the best contestant with the points for all other contestants in the range of 99-75. The assignment of a score between 79- 75 should be reserved for special circumstances; such as when a contestant fails to complete his or her presentation, exhibits inappropriate behavior, or performs highly inappropriate material.

Critique sheets and ballots must be returned to the collection/tabulation room at the conclusion of each round.

Note: Please follow the instructions given at the judge’s meeting concerning speaking order. Some Invitational tournaments may draw in round. Regional & State Tournaments use the order as listed on the schematic.