The bottom third of the frame that includes text about the story and the people involved is called what?

• A. Lower Third
• B. Lead
• C. Kicker
• D. Lip Flap

Answer: (A)

In broadcast news, the text that sits in the bottom portion of the screen to identify people, places, or what the story is about is called the lower third. Placing this information in the lower third keeps the main video visible while still giving viewers essential context as names, titles, or locations appear onscreen. This is distinct from a lead, which is the opening summary of the story, or a kicker, which is a short line used to catch attention before the headline. Lip flap refers to a timing issue where the mouth movements don’t match the audio, not a caption. So the bottom-on-screen caption naming and describing the story is the lower third.