Is there a word for the comments that a news anchor makes about a story?

Question

While watching the local news this evening, it occurred to me that while the news anchors were reporting stories, they often add their own comments between stories.

For example: the news anchors were talking about how movie trailers before movies in theaters were going to start being shorter. The other anchor said at the very end, "Those trailers were starting to be longer than the movies themselves", then chuckles and continues with the next story. (I know, pretty corny)

Is there a word that refers to these comments anchors make in transitioning between stories?

Answer 1

Yes. In broadcasting, we refer to anything that transitions between segments of different topics as 'segues' (pronounced seg-ways).

A humourous, quip-like segue, as has been mentioned is often called banter or happytalk (mainly in the US), but sometimes is called a quip-segue in the UK, and sometimes just a sting. Sting also refers to the animations or sound pieces that are played between sections, "You're listening to WKBBL, where the good people go" etc., so the term sting can be confusing. A final quip or piece of banter without an obvious target, often a pun, is reasonably often referred to as a closer.

And yes, it's all very confusing, especially when most terms means at least two different things.

Answer 2

Those little witty comments (or lame as the case may be) are called quips.

Answer 3

When news anchors chat with each other or make offhand comments on set during a broadcast, it's called either banter or happy talk. Here are some links:

http://www.uwec.edu/kapferja/02-Fall08/335/GlossaryofBroadcastNewsTerms.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_talk