Audio and video stubs

The Audio and Video workshops have their own platforms (e.g. YouTube, Soundcloud), but full shows are often added to this site.

Students in the News Reporting Workshop will create the file and post the item. The published version will look like this, this or this. If you’re a student in the Audio or Video workshop, here’s what you need to provide:

1. Video or Audio file

We need the embed code. Without it, we’ll have a shell with nothing in the middle! Here’s where you’ll find the code on a YouTube video and  Soundcloud track.

2. Headline

This is how you tell AND sell your story. Your headline should be no more than 60 characters (including spaces). It should convey what the piece or show is about. Above all, it should be accurate, clear and appropriate in tone.

e.g. Haunted house brings Area 51 to Halifax

3. Deck

This is a line that appears under the headline. It works with the headline by conveying important secondary information about the story.

e.g. Proceeds from Halloween event at MSVU go to Shelter Nova Scotia

4. Setup text/intro

You need a few paragraphs to set up the video or audio item. This could be a summary of the show and list of contributors. Maybe include a key highlight, whether it’s a fact or quote. Craft this with care and copy edit your text. After all, you want to convince the reader to click the multimedia.

5. Photo

We need a photo for the Featured Image, which appears on The Signal home page and our social platforms. This photo must be 16:9 aspect ratio (landscape mode). It should be no wider than 1,000 px and no bigger than 1 MB. Save it as a JPEG. Make sure you label it with a keyword.

6. Photo caption and credit

Write a sentence or two as a photo caption. This helps readers understand how the photo connects to the story. If the photo has people in it, include their names. All names should be spelled correctly and the text should be free of typos. Add the source of the photo. This is the person who took it or provided it.

7. Tags

These are keywords that apply to your story. You should have at least three. Tags don’t appear on the stories themselves so they’re not visible to readers. But we can track these keywords when we analyze our web metrics.

e.g. Halloween, haunted house, MSVU, Shelter Nova Scotia, video

Send all of the above to signalhfx@ukings.ca  Include your contact info (name, email and phone number) in case we have questions.