Understanding Codes and Conventions of Factual

Programming for TelevisionBy Gregory Doherty

Studio News Readers Field Reporters Links to studio Mode of address to viewer Interviewing Experts and witnesses Report structure Actuality footage

News

Often presenters are mature and are authoritative, particularly for news bulletins.

For extended news bulletins, there would often be a male and a female presenter.

They speak in a formal manner. They are most often seen to be sat at a desk in a

studio and talking directly to the camera. Generally the presenters stay un-emotive as they

want the news to stay balanced. Usually they like to end a long bulletin with a upbeat happy story.

They are usually well groomed and smartly dressed

Studio News

Mature Male Presenter

Younger Female Presenter

Both Well Groomed and Well Dressed

For Variety and to maintain viewer interest Links to studio are used.

Here presenters will bring in either a person in another location, whether its a reporter or someone in another studio. This is used to get other people’s opinions and to make it more interesting.

Breaking news sections rely on field reporters to provide the most up to date information

Links to studio

Reporters will typically be on location i.e. if there is breaking news about changes in the NHS the reporter will be seen interviewing outside of a hospital.

Commonly they will be seen as not always looking directly to the camera, for instance they could be showing something or interviewing/following someone (the interviewee would then look at the reporter and not to the camera – as this looks unprofessional).

News reporters avoid showing emotion or opinion by talking in a formal manner. However, sometimes sports reporters cant help themselves e.g. Olympic Coverage.

Field Reporter/Interviews

Mo Farah Winning Gold

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksmcvv6wmX4

Connection with the audience

BBC news use the same familiar format everyday i.e.◦ A brief glimpse of what is coming up in the news.◦ Newsreaders greet viewers at home and then present the

news.◦ Following the main news headlines, Local news is then

read in each region.◦ And then finally the weather report.◦ Presenters dress formally, keep eye contact and take

their role seriously.

Because of the familiar format the audience knows the routine and then remembers every day what time the news is on.

Mode of address to viewer

Often news channels invite experts to give their expertise on certain topics such as Global warming, Politics, natural disasters etc. Armed with this expert advice viewers have the option to follow or ignore advice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3pGKKRjp7c

Similarly news channels invite witnesses to give their eye witness account on a subject of interest to the viewers

Experts and Witnesses

The inverted pyramid is a common model for news structure. Going the opposite way you risk loosing the attention of your audience.

Lead Story/Dramatic

Lesser News

Least important news

Report structure

Here is an example of actuality footage.

BBC news are constantly reporting news on war zones and they use actuality footage to intensify the impact of the news for the viewer and back up what they are discussing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQexYfH_7_U

Actuality footage

Documentary formats◦ Expository◦ Observational◦ Interactive◦ Reflexive◦ Performative

Realism Dramatisation Narrativisation

Documentary

There are several types of Documentary Formats(1) Expository An “expository” documentary can be used to

expose a subject matter that viewers would find interesting and factual to watch.

(2) Observational Is usually where the cameraman follows a person

around to observe what happens to them. Viewers react positively with these type of

documentaries because it is interesting just to watch what other people are doing in their lives

Documentary Formats

(3) Interactive Film makers interact with the subjects involved in the

documentary by using materials such as news articles, footage and web information. And sometimes they use voice-overs.

This kind of documentary is fun and captivating for the audience.

(4) Reflexive Frequently use re enactments and use techniques from

fiction films adding dramatic music. They rely more on suggestion than fact.

(5) PreFormative Here the documentary maker and crew interacting with

the subject they are filming. because the audience will be addressed in an emotional and direct way and will be given the option to chose how they feel about the subject.

Documentary Formats

Realism in documentary contains actual film footage taken from a scene or event of the subject matter

This can be interviews with witnesses documented and recorded phone discussions and photos.

Realism

Here a producer will dramatize a story and spice it up to make it more watchable and interesting.

Dramatization frequently are reconstructions of an occasion or story

Dramatization

Narrativisation is the division between fact and fiction

On the one hand, there are formal genres such as current affairs on the news.

On the other hand, there are the less formal genres such as entertainment oriented/light-hearted stories.

Narrativisation