By Gregory Doherty

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

 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

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

 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.

 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.

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

 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

 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. 

 Documentary formats ◦ Expository ◦ Observational ◦ Interactive ◦ Reflexive ◦ Performative  Realism  Dramatisation  Narrativisation

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

(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.

 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.

 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

 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.