Audio

General

The Newscutter edit system used in London is a useful editing tool to compile pictures, but it does have limitations in terms of audio. It is, therefore, very important that edits arrive in London with good clean sound, at the correct levels.

It's an unfortunate fact of life that, if audio is distorted when it comes into London, there's a limit to how much it can be adjusted. Most frustrating of all scenarios is when audio is faulty or sub-standard and yet is being fed onto the World News Service as a direct inject. This should never happen. Why should we provide clients with unuseable audio quality running underneath reasonable pictures? One surely cancels the other out? We should never compromise on audio quality when it is in our power to fix it. Audio should be checked exhaustively at the feedpoint and by the Intake Desk in London, no matter how pressing the deadline.

These notes are an attempt to establish some consistency across our entire output and to establish a uniform acceptance of what are ‘correct levels’ and how to use natural sound. Although they relate primarily to edits to be fed to London for later transmission, they should be equally applicable to feeds that originate in other areas, whether it is a regional centre or a bureau flashing an edit directly on to WNS.

If you have any questions on any of the technical issues please direct them at your own engineers, or Manager, Engineering Support Group, Dave Newey on +44 20 7542 4174.

Levels

Audio should be at the same level on both left and right tracks on Newscutter. If you are using the left had meter, aim to PEAK at -10 and aim to PEAK at +4 if using the right hand meter.

The audio should peak at the same levels regardless of whether it is a soundbite or other natural sound. There is no need to dip the natural sound to an unusable level on everything other than soundbites. We should be trying to give clients as many options as possible. This includes giving them a decent audio level on pictures where they may want to feature the sound. Some common sense is required here – a cow grazing in a field clearly does not make as much noise as a car driving along a road so the sound of the cow should not be lifted to peak at –4, but soundless lorries are equally as ludicrous.

Since the last version of these Guidelines was issued, we have responded to increasing client complaints that we often "clip" our soundbites in our edits. If it is not possible to cut the audio to tight in/out points, then the following procedure should be followed: where possible, allow 1 to 2 seconds either side of the soundbite at low level audio with the soundbite at normal level. This at least will allow clients to alter the sound levels if appropriate. This should never be taken to the extreme where we have 3 seconds mute either side of a soundbite. This is NOT standard editing practice and will inevitably result in more clients complaining about sound problems.

Low level

Use slightly lower level sound when showing wide shots of a news conference to make it clear this part of the speech is not intended to be used as a soundbite.

If you have picked up a soundbite from a news conference with no set-up shot of the speaker, then use five or six seconds of the speech immediately prior to the soundbite (this section should be at a slightly lower-level – not mute – to differentiate it from the main soundbite - but can only be used as a last resort when there are literally no other pictures or cutaways available.

Adding sound

When pictures are mute (possibly when accessed from a broadcaster) it is acceptable to add some natural sound. The rule here is: ‘Don’t alter history’.

It is not acceptable to add sound of a gunshot on mute coverage of the assassination of a president. Do not add rocket sounds, gunshots or anything that changes the nature or meaning of the pictures. It is, however, acceptable to add some traffic noise to a general street scene, or ambient noise to a mute news conference. If you are in doubt, leave it mute.

Checklist:

• Bureau personnel need to be aware that Newscutter does have limitations in terms of audio.
• It is very important that edits arrive in London with good clean sound, at the correct levels.
• We expect audio to peak at ‘+4dBu’ which is ‘5’ on a PPM meter and ‘0’ on a VU meter.
• The audio should peak at the same levels regardless of whether it is a soundbite or other natural sound.
• There is no need to dip the natural sound to an unusable level on everything other than soundbites.
• Use slightly lower level sound when showing wide shots of a news conference to make it clear this part of the speech is not intended to be used as a soundbite.
• If you have picked up a soundbite from a news conference with no set-up shot of the speaker, then use five or six seconds of the speech immediately prior to the soundbite (this section should be at a slightly lower-level – not mute – to differentiate it from the main soundbite. Only revert to this as a last resort when there are no other shots or cutaways available.
• It is acceptable to add some natural sound when pictures are mute – But Don’t Alter History’.
• NEVER add the sound of a gunshot on mute coverage of the assassination of a president.
• Do not add rocket sounds, gunshots or anything that changes the nature or meaning of the pictures.
• If you are in doubt about adding sound, leave it mute.