What is News?

What is news?

·        The organisation of news and events from around the world, to be presented in an unbiased/understandable way to the public. Something that the audience will feel will be worth knowing.

·        What news is depends on the audience; local news will be mostly about what is happening in the local area of the audience households it’s being televised to; national news will cover the entire country, and often outside the country if it is significant.

What are the roles in news?

·        In news there is a ‘production team’.

·        Executive Producer – the program’s concept comes from this person. It is often the chief financial backer or production company head. They may develop the direction or conceive ideas.

·        Producer – Primary person responsible for the production of the program. They co-ordinate all parts of production at its highest level. They co-ordinate cast/crew/admin/legal/finance/budget/scheduling issues and are a driving creative force.

·        News Anchor – ‘The Face of the newsroom’. The person the audience identifies with the broadcast. This person can secure the audience’s trust/loyalty so that people will come back to watch, due to this relationship. Background in journalism, many start out as reporters – they usually work their way up.

·        Reporter – Usually in the midst of the action, delivering news straight from the field/source. Conduct on camera interviews with communities, for example, or going into war zones.

·        Broadcast Meteorologist (AKA Weatherman) – Forecast the weather to expect, many people tune in for this (i.e. to know what to wear). Some begin in journalism, others are genuinely scientists.

·        Web Master/ Social Media Manager – Represents the public face by maintaining the website, blogging and/or posting stories and links on social media sites. Interacts with viewers in a way unlike any other. This person communicates with any other role if they want to communicate with the public.

·        News Director – Oversee all aspects of the televised newscasts. Decide on major things like the hiring/firing of the on-air personalities and those behind the scenes. They manage personnel and staff and supervise special events. They often decide what stories air and are responsible for what viewers view.

·        News Writer/Editor – Create scripts for anchors and produce content for the website, like stories. They have to capture the viewer’s attention and keep them from changing channels. They work with the other roles as they must be journalists themselves and do research.

·        Camera Operator – Capture images in the studio or on the field, and choose proper equipment to use, set up and operate. On their own they usually work with the reporter.

·        Broadcast Technician – Responsible for what we see and hear in a news broadcast. They must choose the right transmissions for the station and field so that they are heard or seen and edits this in real time as it is being aired.

·        Audio Engineer – Operate the equipment used to transmit. Regulate volume levels and sound quality.

What makes a good news headline?

Target audience – for people who will be watching, they want to watch, or people who will be interested.

Facts – stick to the facts; don’t mislead. Don’t bait

Engagement – keep interest and find ways of gaining a lot of attention.

Rhythm – Keep pace

Images – Fit them appropriately

What are the key conventions of news as a genre?

Presenters dress smart (suits/dresses).

Interviewing – with a medium close-up, interviews are usually done in a home or work place or on the location of the report, with shots of mouth, hands, nodding.

Experts come on to back a story with facts and evidence.

Witnesses are brought on to give their personal accounts on a subject.

Reports all have headlines that are not complete sentences, but snappy and attention grabbing in a short phrase, encompassing the point of the story and how it is of interest to the viewers.

Real footage is used.

What are some legal and ethical considerations of the news?

·        A journalist must be sure that the sources for a statement are reliable before reporting it as a fact. If something is said to be true when it is proven to be false, then there can be a chance of litigations as this can be considered defamation. So, when presenting something that is a known lie, it must be referenced.

·        There is often a concern of invading an individual’s right to privacy. Sometimes it can be unclear whether you are saying something with your right to freedom of speech, or infringing someone else’s right to refrain from the public eye. It would also be unethical to try and interview or get a story out of someone after a tragedy as they are still grieving. However, you have the right to report on public life of public figures, but their private life should be reported only if the story affects their public duty, responsible for public assets and if they do any misdeeds that affect the public good.

Define news terminology

§  Actuality (Audio) – Audio recorded on location, called a soundbite in radio. Usually means audio that is not speech.

§  Atmosphere – Background noise recorded on location (same as actuality).

§  By-line – Line indicating the author of a story.

§  Chroma key – When a background is put in on a blank screen which a presenter is filmed in front of, making it appear they are not in the studio.

§  Correspondent – A journalist who has expertise in a certain kind of news which they mainly report on.

§  Cubicle – Where the technical team work to put the programme on air.

§  Deadline – The time that journalist must finish their report by.

§  Donut – An on-location interview that a presenter conducts. The studio presenter will describe the situation and then will hand over to the on-location presenter.

§  Edit suite – Where the materials are assembled and edited.

§  File – Sending a report back from a location.

§  Float – An array of picture that are shown or that float on top of a presenter talking or interviewing someone.

§  Gallery – (Same as cubicle)

§  Graphics – On-screen words/diagrams/maps/etc.

§  Log – The list of what has been recorded (audio and visual) to stay organised and make it easier to report.

§  Name super – On-screen caption, e.g. the name and title of an individual put on screen as they appear.

§  News Agency Wires – Latest news stories from journalists world-wide that are put into a computer system and media organisations pay to use.

§  News belt – Round up of short news stories.

§  News in Brief – The short stories that form a News belt.

§  Out of vision – When a presenter is talking but not shown on screen (e.g. using a float).

§  Panel – The equipment in a gallery used to mix visuals.

§  Picture feeds – Videos from news agencies that media organisations pay to use.

§  Prospects – List of possible stories that may be used in the news programme.

§  Running order – Order in which the stories are shown on the programme.

§  Rushes – Film that needs editing.

§  Scoop – A story that is exclusive to the reporters as it has not yet been reported.

§  Shorthand – A method of writing journalists use to note what a person says at top speed.

§  Slug – A word summing up an entire news story to save rewriting the headline multiple times.

§  Sound on Tape – Any sound recorded.

§  Still – Photo/graphic.

§  Sting – Phrase of music to emphasise the importance of the programme/news story.

§  Stock footage – Shots of common events added to the presentation of a story for effect.

§  Titles – Mark start and end of the programme (opening/closing titles), will contain music and closing titles have (a version of) credits.

§  Trail – Advertisement of stories that are to be shown later in the programme.

§  Transmission – Time and date of the programme’s broadcast.

§  Voice over – A recording of the reporter’s voice implemented in video clips to explain what is going on to the viewers.

§  Vox pops – Short interviews conducted with members of the public who are stopped at random to show certain public opinions on a topic.

§  Video Tape – All video, digital or on tape.

Reference:
BBC News. (08/07/2008). Glossary of common media terms. Available at <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/school_report/4791411.stm>Date accessed: (23/10/2016)


Bruce, I. (24/06/2012). News codes and conventions. Available at <http://www.slideshare.net/iainbruce/news-codes-and-conventions>Date accessed: (17/10/2016).

Hay, A. (30/09/2011). My understanding of Codes and Conventions of News and Documentary. Available at <http://mediablogjhay.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/my-understanding-of-codes-and.html>Date accessed: (17/10/2016).

Ingram, D. and Henshall, P. (2008). Chapter 1: What is news? Available at <http://www.thenewsmanual.net/Manuals%20Volume%201/volume1_01.htm> Date accessed: (17/10/2016).

Ingram, D. and Henshall, P. (2008). Chapter 56: Facts and opinion. Available at: <http://www.thenewsmanual.net/Manuals%20Volume%203/volume3_56.htm> Date accessed: (17/10/2016).

Ingram, D. and Henshall, P. (2008). Chapter 62: Privacy and public interest. Available at: <http://www.thenewsmanual.net/Manuals%20Volume%203/volume3_62.htm> Date accessed: (17/10/2016).

McKay, D. (03/08/2016). TV News Careers. Available at <https://www.thebalance.com/tv-news-careers-525690> Date accessed: (17/10/2016).