News Broadcast Script Sample

Video: Privette shown holding a bag of LSD capsules in Montgomery’s D.E.A. headquarters (until the end of Privette’s quote)

Good morning I’m Brooklyn Lundy with channel 5 news. The U.S. Justice Department is concerned with illegal drug trafficking. The D.E.A., F.B.I. and local law enforcement agencies in Auburn, Alabama, have seen a significant hike in arrests for the sale and/or use of the drug LSD. According to Otto Privette, the regional director of the Drug Enforcement Administration, there have been 10 arrests since the beginning of the year, higher than the three from all last year and this year still has four months to go. Privette predicted 10 more arrests this year.

(Anchor/ VO) Privette said police were looking to arrest manufacturers, sellers, and users, and they’re particularly in the lookout for clues to the apprehension of a probable local manufacturer of the drug.

(Sound bite/ VO) “More people are using acid, and we’re sure arresting more people these days. It’s a good bet we’ll make some more arrests because they’ve got tree investigators running down leads full-time. In a way it’s discouraging because there is so much of the drug around, but I think we’re making some headway on the problem.”

Video: The police testing lab in Auburn, which determines the chemical makeup of confiscated drugs and materials. (until end of Harris’ quote)

(Anchor on cam) Lynne Harris, who works for the state of Alabama as a counselor for juveniles who have been arrested on drug-related offenses, said police were arresting many teenagers on LSD- related offenses. She said the drug is popular with teenagers because it is relatively inexpensive and provides a longer “trip” or high than many other drugs. She said the purpose of the stimulant was to enhance the sensation of euphoria, or “rush”, caused by the drug.

(Sound bite/ VO by Harris) “A lot of the LSD we’ve been seeing has impurities in it. Now, the drug’s dangerous enough as it is because it can really unhinge people who are already emotionally unstable. But once you add something like strychnine, you can wind up with something pretty toxic. So, it’s doubly dangerous.”

(Anchor on cam) Harris guessed that if LSD is in Auburn, it’s also showing up around the rest of the state. She said that it’s possible there was a manufacturer in Alabama, but it took a skilled chemist to make the drug, a manufacturer of which was recently discovered in Auburn by police. Harris said that there were no local reports of drug falling into hands of children in grade school, although she had seen reports from elsewhere of acid-impregnated stamps showing cartoon characters.