by Paul Coney and Trippe Gibson
Do you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of a newscast? Well there’s more to it than a desk, a script and an anchorman or woman. Terry McElHatton, also known as Mr. Mac, is the teacher of the class known as TV production I, and Advanced TV class.
McElHatton started out as a radio disk jockey in Petaluma, California. He also worked in radio news in Visalia, Santa Rosa, and San Francisco, as well as Tampa Bay, Florida. In Florida he added television to his radio work in 1980. He then moved to Denver, Colorado, where he was a TV news producer, and reporter for the CBS station, KMGH-TV. In 1987 McElHatton moved back to the Bay Area to become news director of KNTV-TV, channel eleven in San Jose (now NBC11). In 2002, McElHatton came to Valley Christian where his daughter and his son attended.
“I want to make the best TV Studio in the nation for Valley Christian”, McElHatton told us.
He has been teaching TV Production 1, and Advanced TV Broadcast ever since. What you don’t know is what goes on behind the scenes of a TV Newscast.
In the morning McElHatton prepares the newscast by typing up the script for the teleprompter. As the news is going on, there are words going up the camera screen telling the anchor what to say. The anchor then reads the words to the audience. If there are any problems with the teleprompter the anchor will have to read the printed version of the script.
McElHatton also teaches students how to use the camera properly and how to prepare the script. The students also get experience being on live television on the Valley Christian News everyday. McElHatton also teaches how to maintain sound and reminds students after several embarrassing events that the microphone is always live once it’s been turned on. The students learn how to set up lighting, the stage, and the cameras. McElHatton also shows the students how television scripts are made, how to set up the teleprompter and gather the information for the scripts, all very useful information. When everything is ready, the students come on the air to present the news and inform the public of Valley Christian.
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