News Services

• Training - In order to better equip television newsrooms around the state, SCBA provides full-day news training.  Seminar topics vary each year and attract a wide range of news personnel such as anchors, reporters, producers and photographers.  SCBA prides itself on providing members with high caliber training.  In recent years, seminars have been conducted by the award-winning photog-reporter duo of Boyd Huppert and Jonathan Malat, acclaimed journalist Mackie Morris and Al Tompkins from the prestigious Poynter Institute for Media Studies.  The 2012 training will be held Saturday, March 31 and feature Steve Sweitzer.

• Professional Development – SCBA provides scholarships for news professionals to attend the distinguished Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, Florida. Poynter is dedicated to both teaching and inspiring journalists and promoting excellence and integrity in the practice of journalism. As a non-profit teaching and research institution, Poynter prides itself on offering news training unlike any other. Programs offer concentrated instruction and personal support through small classes, individual attention, a hands-on approach and a resident faculty of scholars, master teachers and distinguished professionals.

• ID Cards – SCBA produces identification cards for broadcast media personnel from member stations that are officially recognized by state law enforcement agencies. To order ID cards, send a request form along with payment and photos to SCBA.

• Cameras In Courts - Video, still cameras and recorders may be used in courtrooms subject to the requirements of Rule 605 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules (available at www.sccourts.org).  Highlights of the rule include:  1) Seek permission from the presiding judge in advance; 2) Establish pooling arrangements in advance; 3) Conform to the equipment and personnel and sound and light criteria of the rule.  Broadcast Pooling Guidelines

There is no "right" to be in a courtroom with a camera, and judges who have positive experiences with camera crews are much more likely to allow cameras in the future than are those who encounter crews that are ignorant of the rules and who intrude into the proceedings.

Training for news crews with respect to cameras in courts and other law-related issues such as how to avoid libel and privacy suits and how to use the Freedom of Information Act is available at no charge to SCBA members from SCBA counsel.  These seminars can be conducted in your station and typically last two hours.  Other resources available from SCBA include pocket cards for reporters to provide scripts for dealing with closed courts, closed meetings and cameras in courts. 

• Legal Support – SCBA counsel is on call to assist members with legal issues regarding employment law, access to courts, libel, etc.

• Legislative Workshop-Traditionally, SCBA partners with the SC Press Association to present a legislative workshop each year for Statehouse reporters, assignment editors and other news staff.  This workshop usually previews the upcoming budget and other hot issues for the coming year.