By Megan O’Reilly

Conduct in depth

research, identify and

develop news stories

which will be

appealing to the

audience.

They provide briefings to other crew and contributors.

They are able to

include “donuts” in

the programme,

handing the report

over to an on sight

reporter for example.

They are always dressed smart and

professional, in order to convince the audience

that the News programme is

appropriate and trustworthy.

They make sure to

keep eye contact

and a clear tone of

voice at all times.

News reports usually include the same techniques and report structure such as;

1. PTC – Piece To Camera (Reporter addresses the audience straight down the lens)

2. O/B – Outside Broadcasts (Live field to a reporter at the location of the story. Gives an appearance of capturing news as it happens.)

3. C/A – Cutaways

4. V/O – Voice overs – The reporters voice tells us the story and the facts with graphs or a general view as the wallpaper.

5. I/V – Interviews (with key people or people who know about the story)

6. Vox Pops – The voice of the people, people’s opinions.

7. Graphics

8. Sign Off

Astons: Graphics on the bottom third of the screen which give the name and title of the interviewees or the reporter. Adds kudos to them if they are experts in a certain area, such as correspondents.

Re-enactments: Sometimes used to show what happened in a situation if no footage is available. The news programme must always state that it is a re-enactment and not real.

Links to studio: Field reporters on location link back to the studio and the anchors often signing off with their name and location.

Library Footage: Archive footage used as general views for a story when no other footage is available.

Idents: Brand is important in TV News therefore the idents help with the popularity of a news programme in such an advanced, multi platform era.

Mode of address refers to the way in which the presenters and reporters address the audience, it helps to set the serious, professional tone of the news programme and also sounds authoritative.

Most commonly used:

1. Personal pronouns (such as thankyou for watching)2. Direct mode of address (looking at viewers straight into the camera)3. Very clear, smooth and formal speech4. Title sequences capture the fast pace of the news and music adds

anticipation/importance.5. News presenters briefly announce the top news stories at the start.6. Interviewees tend to look away from the cameras, towards the reporters.7. Grammar and pronunciation (many reporters use emphasis on certain

words and pause for effect)

1. Establishing shot- sets the scene of the report, usually by panning or zooming in of a significant location.

2. Camera movements can promote excitement by constant movement3. Chronological flow – the order in which the story is reported4. Crowd shots – makes it personal, shows how the story affects more than

one person and normal citizens.5. Diegetic/Non diegetic sounds6. Synchronous /Asynchronous sounds7. Walkie talkie preamble introduces the story.8. Filler shots – the reporter tells the audience of the facts while still or

moving images are displayed on screen.9. Long shot of the reporter, using lots of hand gestures and slow, deliberate

enunciation of certain words for dramatic effect.10. Human interest angle – how issues effect the “everyday” person.11. Final summary12. Signing off using dry humour/pun/play on words.