Factual TV Rules for Beginners

Conventions of a News Package

News Package

A news package is an independent news report on a specific news story. A news package usually begins with a reporter introducing what is happening, live from the field which is then followed by the pre-tapped footage of the incident that has occurred. A news package is often only on screen for roughly 1 minute to 2 minutes in length. A news package is used when there is a complex story on the news which is produced to feature many interviews and to give in depth detail about either something tragic or something political.

Conventions of a News Package

Field Reporter 

A field reporter is also known as a correspondent, they are a reporter who is not usually seen in the studio but rather on location of the the news that is being reported. A field reporter would typically be expected to wear appropriate clothing for the news that they are reporting, for example if they were reporting from a war zone they would be expected to wear body Armour and a helmet to keep the safe from any attacks, similarly if they were reporting from outside Downing Street they would usually be seen wearing a suit. A field reporter would most likely be an expert of the news that they are reporting and would typically be seen getting physically involved with the the topic they are presenting.

Links to Studio

Links to the studio would be when there is communication between the studio and another location which would be the location of the event that is currently being spoken about on the news, the use of the location makes the news seem real to the audience. The links to studio are usually live so that the reporter can correspond with the reporter in the studio to report exactly what is taking place on location as it is happening so that the facts are constant and correct. 

Mode of Address to Viewer

Mode of address to viewer would be the tone of the voice of the presenter to create meaning towards the story that the are telling the audience, an example would be if the news report was about a murder investigation or kidnapping the tone of voice would be somber and serious whereas a report on the football would be lighthearted. The reporter would also have to make sure that their accent is clear and strong so that the audience is able to clearly understand what they are trying to tell them.

Interviewing Experts and Witness

Interviewing experts and witnesses is used to tell the audience expert/professional accounts and facts of what has occurred in that news segment so that the audience is able to fully understand all the details of what its happening and to have facts that are reliable. The news also interviews witness of the event as they could have been there when the event took place so they may be able to recount the story to the audience for them to be able to feel a certain emotion.

Report Structure

A report structure is the way that the report is set out to show the audience in order for the show to flow and allows the audience to see certain facts at certain times, the show typically starts with the reporter telling the audience who they are and what they are going to be talking about in the news segment that is currently happening. During the report structure you will typically see some archive footage which clearly shows the audience that this event has either occurred before and the case is still ongoing or that it occurred a few weeks ago. The report structure also features Interviews, vox pops, fact communication, on location, pieces to camera, cutaways and noddies and sign outs.

Actuality Footage

Actuality footage is footage that has been filmed on event as it happens, though it is usually filmed using a mobile phone or camera as it would take too long for a camera crew to get out into the field to film what is happening as it is fast reacting and unpredictable. Actuality footage allows the audience to be able to engage in what is happening and directly feel all the different emotions that it bring due to its realism.

Example 1:



In this footage you first hear the field reporter before you see him as he gives a brief overview of what is happening in the area, you then see the field reporter at 0:03 when he walks into the shot and onto the screen showing the audience that the reporter is involved as he is standing next to the people who are seeking medical attention, then at 0:26 you see the reporter standing by a tent with a paramedic who is checking over a patient showing the audience that the reporter is fully involved in what is happening which shows the audience how serious is. The field reporter is also seen to be wearing a shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and combat trousers showing the audience that he is adequately dressed for the location he is reporting from as they are suffering from a typhoon which has destroyed homes and also killed people so it would not be appropriate to wear a suit when the place is in such disarray. 

The mode of address used was direct and formal, this is further enforced with the tone of voice the reporter uses as his voice is somber, as seen at 0:28 when he is talking about where the people will have to go in order for them to be treated his voice is somber to relay the seriousness of the information that is being told to the audience, this allows the audience to be able to feel the seriousness of the emotions and to also feel sympathy and empathy of all the people affected by the typhoon. The reporter also provides the audience with facts as he says in the beginning that the outside medical center is a field hospital and that it was the only medical facility that they had after the typhoon hit showing the audience the dire situation that the people are in need of more help than the help they have already been provided, this also allows the audience to feel as though they need to help them out more than what the government has already done.

Example 2:




The use of links to studio in this footage are seen when he the main news reporter goes to Hyde park where there is another reporter who is talking about all the people that are going to watch the last 2 nights of the Olympic games, as seen at 7:42 when they presenter talks about all the people that have come to celebrate the last two nights of the games as they were not able to get tickets to see the Olympics in person, whilst a special concert is held for the closing of the Olympics. This shows the audience that though the presenter is on location he is a safe distance away so that you can capture a shot of all the people gathered there and still be able to hear the music played in the background highlighting that the feed is live. The camera language is also basic as it does not move from the position that it has been previosly positioned as it allows the camera to pick up the amount of people that have gathered in Hyde park and also shows you where the band is performing. This shows the audience that it is really happening so they can here the excitement.

The use of the report structure allows the audience to better understand the information given in a certain layout of the show, the news reporter signs in telling the audience who he is, what institution he works for and gives a brief rundown of what will be spoken about in the show today, this allows the audience to see what they are going to be informed about on the show so they are prepared for what will be told. The footage also included a sort of interview which communicated the facts back to the audience about the Olympics and at 4:45 you see them talk about the leader board in which they discuss who is at the top with most gold medals and if any other country can beat them, this keeps the audience informed about what is occurring in the Olympics and if they think that any other country is capable of getting more medals than them in the final two days, it also builds up tension within the audience as they want to see the final outcome.

There is also a interview with an athlete who won the silver back in the 2008 Olympic Games, the status of the interviewee being an British Pentathlete talking about the Olympics shows the audience that she is knowledge able in the area of Olympics but is also a witness to what is happening as the presenter commented on how she had been screaming her support backstage. This shows the audience that as an interviewee she is not only an expert but a part of the audience enjoying the excitement of the audience which reflects the excitement of the audience back at home. The location of the interview shows that they are near the Olympic Stadium which immediately shows the audience that they are going to be talking about the Olympics so it relates back to the story that is being told, the location also makes the interview feel more real as it would be the kind of setting you would typically see and athlete/pentathlete working or training. There are also questions included in the interview as you hear the presenter ask her about Rio and how she thinks things will turn out their for all the athletes taking part, showing the audience her own opinion on how it will go in Rio.

Example 3:

In this footage you see the usage of actuality footage you see an elephant attack a car, the footage was build by onlookers who saw exactly what happened and started to film the footage as soon as they saw the elephant headed towards the vehicle, as you can see at the beginning  the camera is handheld and the persons arm is out of the window so that they can get a better view of what is happening, this allows the audience to see what is exactly happening and for them to be able to directly feel the emotions as they footage appears on the screen. At 1:00 you can see that the elephant has pushed the car forcefully to the side and then turns the car upside, the use of this footage allows the audience to see how real the footage is and allows them to react as the footage is being played out on the screen engaging their full attention.