Avid INEWS Command Guide: Your Quick Start

Hey guys! Ready to dive into the world of Avid iNEWS and unlock its full potential? You've come to the right place! This guide will walk you through the essential iNEWS commands, making your newsroom workflow smoother and more efficient. Let's get started!

What is Avid iNEWS?

Before we jump into the commands, let's quickly cover what Avid iNEWS actually is. Simply put, Avid iNEWS is a powerful newsroom management system used by broadcasters and news organizations worldwide. Think of it as the central hub for all your news content – from planning and writing to editing and playout. iNEWS helps journalists, editors, and producers collaborate seamlessly, ensuring that news stories are delivered accurately and on time. It’s designed to handle the fast-paced, demanding environment of a modern newsroom, providing tools for story creation, assignment management, rundowns, and more. With iNEWS, teams can efficiently manage breaking news, update stories in real-time, and coordinate live broadcasts. The system's robust architecture supports multiple users working simultaneously, making it ideal for large news organizations with complex workflows. iNEWS integrates with other Avid products, such as Media Composer, to provide a comprehensive end-to-end solution for news production. This integration streamlines the process from initial story conception to final broadcast, reducing the potential for errors and delays. Whether it’s a small local news station or a large international broadcaster, Avid iNEWS provides the tools necessary to manage news content effectively and deliver high-quality news programming to viewers.

Basic iNEWS Commands

Okay, let's get our hands dirty with some basic iNEWS commands. These are the bread and butter of daily newsroom operations. Knowing these commands inside and out will seriously boost your productivity.

Story Creation Commands

Creating stories is fundamental, right? These commands are your best friends when starting a new piece.

• CREATE STORY or NEW STORY: This is your go-to command for starting a brand new story. Think of it as opening a fresh document in a word processor. When you execute this command, iNEWS will create a new, blank story in the system, ready for you to fill with your journalistic brilliance. You can then add details such as the headline, body text, slug, and other metadata. This command is essential for initiating any new news item, whether it’s a breaking news alert or a long-form investigative report. The system will typically assign a unique identifier to each new story, making it easy to track and manage as it moves through the production process. So, whenever you're starting a new story, remember CREATE STORY or NEW STORY to get the ball rolling.
• OPEN STORY [Story ID]: Need to revisit or edit an existing story? Use this command, replacing [Story ID] with the actual ID of the story. This is like opening a saved file on your computer. You’ll use this command frequently to update stories with new information, correct errors, or prepare them for broadcast. The [Story ID] is a unique identifier that iNEWS assigns to each story, allowing you to quickly locate and access the correct item. Using the OPEN STORY command ensures that you are working on the most current version of the story, preventing confusion and maintaining accuracy. It’s a fundamental command for anyone involved in the editing or production process, allowing for efficient collaboration and version control.
• SAVE STORY: After making changes, don't forget to save your work! This command saves the current state of the story. It's the digital equivalent of hitting Ctrl+S (or Cmd+S on a Mac). Saving your story regularly is crucial to avoid losing any progress due to system errors or unexpected interruptions. The SAVE STORY command updates the version stored in the iNEWS database, ensuring that everyone working on the story has access to the latest changes. This is particularly important in fast-paced news environments where multiple users may be collaborating on the same story simultaneously. Make it a habit to save frequently to protect your work and maintain data integrity.

Rundown Commands

Rundowns are the backbone of any broadcast. These commands help you manage them effectively.

• CREATE RUNDOWN or NEW RUNDOWN: Just like creating a story, this command initiates a new rundown. A rundown is essentially a playlist for your news broadcast, dictating the order in which stories will be aired. This command is used to start a new rundown from scratch, allowing you to define the structure and content of your upcoming broadcast. You can then add, remove, or rearrange stories within the rundown to create the desired flow. Creating a new rundown is typically the first step in preparing for a news broadcast, setting the stage for the entire production process. This ensures that the broadcast is well-organized and that all segments are presented in the correct order. So, CREATE RUNDOWN or NEW RUNDOWN is the starting point for every successful news program.
• OPEN RUNDOWN [Rundown ID]: Need to tweak an existing rundown? Use this command to open it, replacing [Rundown ID] with the rundown's ID. Similar to opening a story, this command allows you to access and modify a previously created rundown. You can use it to make last-minute changes, update story order, or add new segments as needed. The [Rundown ID] ensures that you are opening the correct rundown, preventing accidental modifications to other rundowns. This command is essential for managing and updating the broadcast schedule in real-time, allowing for flexibility and responsiveness to breaking news or changing priorities. It is a critical tool for news producers and directors who are responsible for ensuring the smooth execution of a live broadcast.
• ADD STORY [Story ID] TO RUNDOWN [Rundown ID]: This command adds a specific story to a rundown. Replace [Story ID] and [Rundown ID] with the appropriate IDs. This is the command you'll use to populate your rundown with the stories you want to air. By specifying the [Story ID] and [Rundown ID], you can precisely control which stories are included in which rundowns. This ensures that the broadcast follows the intended sequence and that all necessary content is included. Adding stories to the rundown is a fundamental step in preparing for a broadcast, and this command provides a straightforward way to manage the content lineup. It's an essential tool for producers and editors as they build and refine the broadcast schedule.
• REMOVE STORY [Story ID] FROM RUNDOWN [Rundown ID]: Time to cut a story? This command removes a story from a rundown. Just like the ADD STORY command, you'll need the story and rundown IDs. This command allows you to remove a story from a rundown quickly and efficiently. You might need to remove a story if it's no longer relevant, if it's been replaced by a newer story, or if the broadcast is running short on time. By specifying the [Story ID] and [Rundown ID], you can ensure that you are removing the correct story from the correct rundown. This is a critical tool for managing the broadcast schedule and making real-time adjustments as needed. It helps maintain the flow of the broadcast and ensures that only the most important and relevant stories are aired.
• SAVE RUNDOWN: Don't forget to save those rundown changes! This command saves the current state of the rundown. Just like saving a story, saving your rundown regularly is crucial to avoid losing any changes. The SAVE RUNDOWN command updates the version stored in the iNEWS database, ensuring that everyone working on the broadcast has access to the latest schedule. This is particularly important in live news environments where changes are frequent and time-sensitive. Make it a habit to save your rundown after making any modifications to protect your work and maintain accuracy. This helps prevent confusion and ensures that the broadcast runs smoothly according to the intended plan.

Searching Commands

Finding the right story or rundown quickly is crucial. These commands will help you navigate the iNEWS database like a pro.

• FIND STORY [Keywords]: Need to locate a story based on certain keywords? This command is your friend. Replace [Keywords] with the terms you're searching for. This command searches the iNEWS database for stories that contain the specified keywords in their metadata or content. This can be incredibly useful for quickly locating stories related to a particular topic or event. For example, you might use `FIND STORY