Contact: Ralph Derickson

A TV News team from the 2003 UK symposium does some laboratory work.

A TV newsman at the 2003 TV News Symposium at UK edits some videotape

Sessions in finding a story’s focus, better photography and editing techniques, and tips of the trade fill five full days of hands-on experience. Participants work to learn every story option available to them through the use of pictures and natural sound, interviews with “characters,” and crisp, concise writing. UK’s journalism students are permitted to attend the NPPA sessions free of charge.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 16, 2004) -- Television news crews from around the United States and from as far away as Denmark will descend on the University of Kentucky the week of April 18 for an intense journalism training symposium focusing on “advanced storytelling.”

This is the second year for the symposium, sponsored by the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) under the direction of Yvonne Cappe, an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Telecommunications in the UK College of Communications and Information Studies.

“Television news videographers and reporters come as a team to the symposium and learn from some of the very best the industry has to offer,” Cappe said. Sessions in finding a story’s focus, better photography and editing techniques, and tips of the trade fill five full days of hands-on experience. Participants work to learn every story option available to them through the use of pictures and natural sound, interviews with “characters,” and crisp, concise writing. UK’s journalism students are also permitted to attend the NPPA sessions free of charge, Cappe said.

In addition to teams that will attend the 2004 NPPA storytelling symposium from stations in such cities as San Diego, Calif., and Columbus, Ohio, a crew from Lexington’s own WKYT-TV will participate. A total of 30 persons had registered for the symposium by late March, Cappe said.

Last year, 24 “storytellers” from as far away as New Zealand participated in the NPPA symposium that provides a “rigorous workout, designed to take the reporters and videographers to the next level of their reportorial skills,” Cappe added.

Cappe joined the UK journalism faculty in the fall of 1999 after more than 20 years in television newsrooms. Her industry experience includes stints as a videographer/editor, newscast producer, special projects producer, investigative producer, executive producer, and assistant news director.

During her time at UK, Cappe has focused on training producers, reporters and videographers to develop writing, visual and critical thinking skills that will enable them to better address the issues they will encounter on a daily basis in the newsroom.

Cappe holds a bachelor’s degree in radio-TV-film from the University of Missouri and a master’s degree in journalism from the Ohio State University.