Breaking the traditional TV news storytelling format: A conversation with TV reporter Danae Bucci
Danae Bucci is a reporter for Hearst-owned WJCL-TV, the ABC affiliate in Savannah, Georgia as well as a 2020 graduate of Northeastern University. She talks about trying to break the traditional local TV news storytelling format at her reporting job at WJCL, which is in the same station ownership group as Boston’s own WCVB-TV.
Bucci tries to approach journalism in a unique, experimental way by utilizing different storytelling methods, including using TikTok to show a behind-the-scenes look at her work life, where she has amassed more than 100,000 followers on the social media platform.
Bucci pushes back against the term “fake news” by bringing viewers into her daily work routine. She shows them how stories are produced when she’s out in the field reporting. This includes an inside look at her setting up camera equipment to gather video and interviews for her stories.
Bucci uses everything from drones to animation to produce more creative and compelling storytelling that she hopes will attract younger audiences.
“People who are Baby Boomers or Gen X are still in charge, but they’re trying to market to people that are way younger than them. So it’s kind of this weird disconnect,” said Bucci.
Bucci says she was influenced by Professor Mike Beaudet in his Experimental Video Storytelling course, where he encourages students to take an innovative approach toward journalistic storytelling.
