Codes and conventions of

factual programmingBy Connor Thomson

What is a News Show?A news program is a regularly scheduled radio or television program the reports current events. News is typically reported in a series of individual stories that are presented by one or more anchors. Usually have a main national news, then after a local news.

News in broadcasting of various news events and other information through different media platforms, such as television, radio and internet. The content is usually either produced locally in a radio studio or television studio newsroom, or by a broadcast network. It may also include additional material such as sports coverage, weather forecasts, traffic reports, commentary and other material that the broadcaster feels is relevant to their audience.

The codes & conventions of a news show.

News anchors and reporters- these are the main reporters in the studio, reading out the main news and introducing news stories. Such as Fred Dinenage & Sangeeta Bhabra on ITV Meridian News.

Field reporters- these are the reporters who tend to be at the scene of the event, reporting on the latest information. Such as wars or terrorist attacks, a field reporter will be near by to reports when new information is released.

Interviews- interviews are used to get more information from a story. I.e. a specialist will come in to talk further about the story as they have more knowledge.

Expert and witnesses- this is having guess speakers coming in to talk about an important story or important figure.

Actual footage- This is usually live or first hand footage of the event, linking to the story. Such us the footage that every knows the 911 plane footage.

A report structure- this is the structure of the news program, such as the most important stories being told first. Also could be the reporter stating and introducing the story in the studio, cut to an interview, then a reporter at the scene, then back to the studio.

Modes of address to viewer- this is how the reporter delivers the news to the consumer.

Links to studio- this when a news show links in to another studio elsewhere.

What is a documentary?A documentary is a broad term to describe a

non-fiction movie that in some way “documentary” or captures reality and real life events.

Documentaries are often used to reveal an unusual, interesting or unknown angle that has not yet been previously explored. Topics of documentaries are endless and are only limited to ones own imagination, as long as there is factual information and has an audience who takes interest in the subject.

The 5 modes of documentaries.

The expository mode- This mode is what we most identify with the documentary- it “emphasizes verbal commentary and argumentative logic” often using a narrator, broadcasting events such as WW2 and the peoples point of view. Mostly associated with News Programs.

Observational mode is best known by using a direct camera it attempts to capture as accurately as possible. Objective reality with filmmaker as neutral observer. The filmmaker remains hidden behind the camera, ignored by the surrounding environment he/she neither changes nor influences the actions events being captured. Since nothing is staged for the camera, the camera is hand held and rushes about to keep up with the action resulting in rough, shaky, often amateur looking footage.

The participatory mode- unlike the observational mode, the participatory mode welcomes direct engagement between the filmmaker becomes part of the events being recorded. The filmmakers impact on the events being recorded is acknowledged, indeed, is often celebrated and increases the events impact. Such as recently on BBC 3 there was a documentary by Reggie Yates about Russia, he went around with a crew interviewing people and finding more information on the subject.

The Reflexive Mode- The Reflexive Mode acknowledges the constructed nature of documentary and flaunts it – conveying to people that this is not necessarily “truth” but a reconstruction of it; a truth, but not the truth.

The Performative Mode – This mode of documentary emphasizes the subjective nature of the documentarian as well as acknowledging the subjective reading of the audience – notions of objectivity are replaced by “evocation and affect’. This mode emphasizes the emotional and social impact on the audience