TV News Broadcast

Key Term Definitions

Cutaway: In film and video, a cutaway shot is the interruption of a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else. It is usually, although not always, followed by a cut back to the first shot, when the cutaway avoids a jump cut. The cutaway shot does not necessarily contribute any dramatic content of its own, but is used to help the editor assemble a longer sequence.

Direct Address To Camera: Direct address. direct address. Grammar. the use of a term or name for the person spoken to, as in securing the attention of that person; use of a vocative form.

News Presenters

What do news presenters do?

• A news producer manages a television news show’s content. He or she might also gather news stories, write scripts and manage the overall flow of the show. There are no specific educational requirements, but a news producer typically has a college degree.

• Deciding which items to include in a news show can be the most important task a news producer will complete. He or she might meet with editors, news directors and photographers in order to decide which news stories to use for a program. Together they decide what might be used.

• Keeping an eye on wire reports and other news outlets is another way a producer might find content for a news program. Monitoring other news sources can give a news producer perspective on the way another source covered a story or how another source reported on one the producer didn’t choose. This part of the job can last all day.

• A producer must follow through with all stories that he or she decides to use. Some stories might fall through, and new stories can develop. A producer must make sure that all stories that are expected to be used for the program feature the most current information and are portrayed in an interesting and accurate way.

• Not only must a news producer decide on content for a show, he or she must also write scripts or oversee the writing of scripts for news anchors. The producer will assign anchors to the various stories being covered. Scripts for the anchors will then be placed in order based on the order of pieces being covered in the show.

• Ensuring sufficient video and graphics are available is another part of what a news producer does. These items make a news story interesting and help convey additional information about the subject. If video or graphics are not available, the producer should be able to know how to locate appropriate ones.

• The ability to think on one’s feet can be an asset when working as a news producer. Breaking news might happen at any time of day, or a story might not be ready for the show in time. Also, a show could be running too long or too short, so content might need to be pulled or added. All of these can require the news producer to make split-second decisions.

Others things news presenters do

• Interview people
• Inform the audience on news stories
• Introduce people
• Narrate stories with graphical videos or images on the screen 
• Work with other presenters and crew members
• Interviews in studios or other locations
• Rewrite or edit the script
• Conduct in-depth research

What skills do news readers need?

• Knowledge base: An understanding of issues, names, geography, history and the ability to put all of these in perspective for viewers. It comes from the journalist’s commitment to being a student of the news.

• Ability to process new information: Sorting, organizing, prioritizing and retaining massive amounts of incoming data.

• Ethical compass: Sensitivity to ethical land mines that often litter the field of live breaking news — unconfirmed information, graphic video, words that potentially panic, endanger public safety or security or words that add pain to already traumatized victims and those who care about them.

• Command of the language: Dead-on grammar, syntax, pronunciation, tone and storytelling — no matter how stressed or tired the anchor or reporter may be.

• Interviewing finesse: An instinct for what people need and want to know, for what elements are missing from the story, and the ability to draw information by skillful, informed questioning and by listening.

• Mastery of multitasking: The ability to simultaneously: take in a producer’s instructions via an earpiece while scanning new information from computer messages, texts or Twitter; listen to what other reporters on the team are sharing and interviewees are adding; monitor incoming video — and yes, live-tweet info to people who have come to expect information in multiple formats.

• Appreciation of all roles: An understanding of the tasks and technology that go into the execution of a broadcast, the ability to roll with changes and glitches, and anticipate all other professionals involved.

• Acute sense of timing: The ability to condense or expand one’s speech on demand, to sense when a story needs refreshing or recapping, to know without even looking at a clock how many words are needed to fill the minute while awaiting a satellite window, live feed or interviewee.

Other skills needed

• Knowledge on journalism
• Fast thinkers
• Confident
• Believable
• Focused 
• Editorial knowledge
• Well spoken
• Clear voice 

Visual Codes

• News reporters
• News presenters
• Inteviews
• News interviewers
• Field reporters

What do Field Reporters do?

• Report news from outside the studio
• Live from the scene
• Pre record broadcasts shown as parts of a news show
• Known as 'off screen reporters'

TV News Broadcasts Include

• Voicer
• Cut aways
• Vox pop
• Establishing shot
• Scene change
• Facts through graphic
• Interviews: human interest

Definitions

Experts: a person who is very knowledgeable about or skilful in a particular area. makes the stories more genuine and reliable - credibility.

Witnesses: a person who sees an event, typically a crime or accident, take place. someone involved often a civilian, makes TV new more believable.

Vox Pops; popular opinion as represented by informal comments from members of the public, especially when broadcast or published. more real, varied opinions.

Actuality footage: The actuality film is a non-fiction film genre that like the documentary film uses footage of real events, places, and things, yet unlike the documentary is not structured into a larger argument, picture of the phenomenon or coherent whole. In practice, actuality films preceded the emergence of the documentary.

Mise-en-scene: the arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a play. The setting or surroundings of an event. Includes; set, location, set design, colour, costume, studios, lighting/sound, positioning, props, actors and body language.

Codes and Conventions of News Broadcasting 

News broadcasting is the broadcasting of various news events and other information via television, radio or internet in the field of broadcast journalism. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or television studio newsroom, or by a broadcast network.

BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. This department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation. It generates around 120 hours of radio and television output each day, also including online news coverage. The service maintains 45 foreign news bureaux and has correspondents in almost every country. The department's annual budget is £350 million and has a staff of 3,500 (2,000 being journalists). Through the BBC English Regions, BBC News has regional centres across England as well as national news centres in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. All regions and nations produce their own local news programmes and other current affairs and sport programmes.

The news report I watched and identified the codes and conventions with was Thursday 2nd October 2014 episode of BBC News at 10pm.

Appearance: 

The presenter of the news broadcaster is dressed extremely smartly and his whole appearance is sharp and neat. He's wearing a suit which fits with the professional feel of the programme. He looks well groomed which shows that he takes pride in his appearance which personifies with how BBC is represented; its a big company and at the top of its game so only the smartest people are used as the face of the corporation. The news presenter looks reliable and trustworthy which is essential for this role of presenting as there job is to inform the general public with local and worldwide news. The presenter is also exceptionally well spoken which makes him more professional and someone who the audience would want to listen to.

Presenters: 

There is one main presenter throughout the 30 minute news broadcasting, who discusses every different story which is shown, he often switches over to a news reporter which is at the location to add more depth to stories. There are only two other presenters throughout the news show which is the sports presenter who discusses sport stories in the sport slot, the other presenter is the weather person who discusses today's weather and the next days.


Footage: 

Throughout the news broadcast, footage from multiple different stories were shown. Each article the news presenter discussed moments after in the background was footage which related to the story. One example of this was when the presenter spoke about the heartbreaking murder of 14 year old Alice Gross, video footage from the crime scene was shown in the background.


Camera Angles:

Multiple different camera angles were used in the 30 minute news broadcast. It started with a close up angle focusing on the presenters facial expressions as he started reporting on the main headline. Throughout the angles would change from close up, mid close ups and long angle shots which creates a good variety and makes it more interesting and exciting. As the audience would lose interest if everything was in the same angle for the whole programme. It also changes depending on what is actually happening in the show; when theirs an interview the clip starts with a long angle which shows the whole studio to the audience and then it goes to a mid close up shot. The camera angles look sharp professional which is done through the use of a tripod; all professional TV or film companies use tripods.

Graphics:

Graphics are used throughout news broadcasts as a way of adding the professional element to the programme. Graphics are shown on screens in the background when the presenter is discussing a story and the cameraman often zooms into the graphics onto the screen whilst the presenter is talking as the voice over or a reporter from the story on the screen is the voice over. Graphics will always be used in news broadcasting as they are an essential element to sharing news. Graphics are also used to show weather and sport, with the weather person speaking to a graphic screen which shows the weather for the next few days in the background.

Lighting:

Lighting used in news broadcasting is very strong and sharp lighting which focuses on the facial expressions of the presenter. Every flaw is shown which is why presenters and reporters will always be wearing a lot of stage make up so there flaws aren't on show but also to make them look alive and healthy as people are more likely to be listen and be interested in a presenter who visually looks good.


Interviews & Reporters:

The 10pm news broadcasting doesn't have many interviews live from the studio as its the end of the day which usually shows the most important parts of the days news stories. However when the presenter started discussing a story which had more detail to be shown the show went to a different location were either a news reporter or somebody who had a significant involvement started discussing the story in more depth. The reporters were equally dressed and looked smart like the presenter; either wearing a suit or smart clothing and having well groomed appearance.

TV News Broadcast Analysis Sheet 

This is an image of the worksheet which we completed as a class during lesson time on the 13/10/2014.