Matt Glassman, assistant news director for NBC4 Washington, wants his audience to know not only “what is happening now,” but what is the angle of what is happening now? In broadcast and online, it’s all about immediacy.

He talked about how writing for broadcast news is different than other news outlets, but also how the digital revolution has changed the way broadcast is produced and integrated into the website.

Glassman stressed three important responsibilities for broadcast:

1. Assume the audience already knows the headlines
2. Stay relevant
3. Provide something the audience can’t get anywhere else.

For example, Glassman presented a consumer driven news story discussing how smartphone thefts are rising, including a statistic stating that “one cellphone is stolen every ten seconds.” The broadcast not only talked about the thefts, but also suggested measures the public could take to prevent it happening to them. The news becomes both an enlightening and empowering force for the audience.