Amanda Norwig of KPRC talks web producing

Today is my first day on the job as a web producer at abc13.com, so in my "Breaking into Journalism" blog segment, let's see what a web producer does. It wouldn't be fun to interview myself, so I decided to talk with Amanda Norwig, a web producer at KPRC-TV. Norwig graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in broadcast journalism. She has worked in various roles at KHOU and KHWB (now KHCW) before joining KPRC.

mikemcguff: What does a web producer do?

Amanda Norwig: I write a whole bunch of stories. I take assignments board notes, press releases and information reporters have gathered and create a print story. I try to include more information in my stories than is on broadcast on-air, but that always depends on whether or not I have more information. I also choose pictures to go with my stories and add text to some photographs. I used to have to edit video for the site, but now that's an automated process.

mikemcguff: Do you have to be a whiz on the computer to do this job?

Amanda Norwig: Nope. You have to be able to type, use the Internet and know the basics of photo editing. I learned a couple of my company's proprietary programs and that's about it. It's easier to be a journalist and have to learn the technical aspects of this job than to know a bunch of computer stuff and have to learn how to write.

mikemcguff: How much HTML do you need to know?

Amanda Norwig: In my case, I just need to know the basics, like making a list or changing font size. If something more complicated comes up, I've got some books and a great support network that can always help.

mikemcguff: Do web producers design web pages?

Amanda Norwig: I'm sure some do, but I don't.

mikemcguff: What would you suggest someone study in college if they wanted to be a web producer?

Amanda Norwig: Print journalism. Broadcast writing and print writing are two totally different beasts. Print is more appropriate for the web as people read it, not hear it. If someone is going to work for a television station web site, it is good to have some sort of newsroom experience – at least an internship – so they understand how a newsroom works.

mikemcguff: What if they already work in TV?

Amanda Norwig: Perfect! It can be a tough writing transition, but it's not too bad. The pace is incredibly fast. Many times news makes it to the web site before it appears on TV. People want to know what's happening when it's happening. In my case, I have found that being able to decipher scanner traffic has been a huge asset. While I do not use the information for the scanners for my stories, I am able to mentally prepare for a breaking story while the assignments editors are confirming information.

mikemcguff: What's the hardest part about the job in your opinion?

Amanda Norwig: Writing headlines. They have to be short yet descriptive. That's not always easy! Internet news is as competitive as television news is – the stations do battle to get stories on before the other sites, which some people may find frustrating.

mikemcguff: Anything else you want to add?

Amanda Norwig: Breaking into this business is not the easiest thing in the world to do. It takes a lot of patience and persistence. While you're sending out hundreds of resumes, read the AP Stylebook and practice writing stories daily. Clear, concise writing is essential.

Thanks Amanda.

Read more interviews on how to break into the business.

Let me know what you would like to see for this segment.

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