Oct. 17 TAB Southwest Broadcast Newsroom Workshop Focuses on Newsgathering, Storytelling Skills

posted on 9.22.2026

Honing newsgathering techniques and sharpening storytelling skills are the focus of TAB’s Southwest Broadcast Newsroom Workshop, set for Saturday, Oct. 17, in Round Rock. 

The workshop will have the best practices for enterprising stories the competition doesn’t have, as well as the presentation techniques to make those stories memorable and impactful. Register HERE and scope out the schedule of sessions! 

Early-bird professional registration is $51 and includes lunch, morning coffee, and pastries. The fee increases $10 on October 8. Registration closes October 14 at Noon. There will be no onsite registration. 

Artificial Intelligence
Nationally known newsroom trainer Al Tompkins will show attendees the powerful ways that the newest large language AI models can help journalists find sources, spot trends, sort through thick data and hone story pitches, skills that everyone in the newsroom can use.

National Murrow, DuPont, and Peabody award winning MMJ Brendan Keefe will demonstrate how AI can help reporters reduce busy work, improve story preparation, and create more time for the storytelling only journalists can do, all while preserving critical judgment. Keefe will use real newsroom workflows to show how AI can save time, sharpen story ideas, prepare better interviews, and create multiple versions of scripts for different platforms.

Using FOI Laws for Enterprise Journalism  
Veteran investigative journalists Keefe and David Barer of KXAN-TV Austin will explore how newsrooms can use the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) and the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to generate stories. The duo will be joined by attorney Missy Minter, a Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas (FOIFT) board member and a former Division Chief of the Texas Attorney General’s Office Open Records Division.

Learn how to overcome denials, combat delay tactics, and challenge exorbitant fees that local and state governments utilize to prevent public information from being released.

Other Newsgathering Techniques
Texas news veterans Josh Hinkle of KXAN-TV Austin and Raul Alonzo of KUT-FM Austin/the Texas Standard, will deconstruct their national RTDNA Murrow Award winning television and radio stories to show how they were discovered and developed for on-air presentation and for versions on other station platforms. 

The skill of interviewing is at the core of journalism. Tompkins will demonstrate how focused questions can produce memorable moments and details. Learn how to earn the trust of the people who share their stories with you and discover how to talk with reluctant or vulnerable people who avoid media. This session is loaded with practical real-life examples. You will use what you learn on your next shift.

Storytelling Best Practices
Keefe will share the MMJ techniques he uses to turn ordinary assignments into compelling television – cleaner shooting, stronger sequences, better natural sound, smarter interview setups, faster writing, and creative solutions when the clock is working against you.
In an extended session, Keefe will show MMJ advanced techniques and specific gear one can use to make stories more memorable to audiences. Over the years he has pioneered MMJ use of multi-camera interviews, computer animation, drone footage, wireless audio, and other creative ways to make stories visually and audibly compelling. If you seriously want to step up your MMJ skills, this special 90-minute session will show you how.

Want to do better live shots and stand-ups? 

RTDNA past president Kevin Benz will lead attendees through inspirational live shots and stand-ups, breaking them down to explore what makes them compelling. Learn why the best live shots and stand-ups are a product of the newsroom team, not just the reporter in the field.

Other Topics 
While the bulk of the workshop is an exploration of newsgathering and storytelling techniques, other sessions will cover the crisis of audience trust and what newsrooms can do to rebuild it, how to make good editorial choices at the speed of journalism, maintaining mental well-being in today’s high-pressure newsroom, and practical guidance for covering the fallout from the upcoming general election 

Questions? Contact TAB’s Michael Schneider or call (512) 322-9944. 

---