Case study 3: news stories covering start of General Election campaign 2015

On Monday 30 March, David Cameron dissolved Parliament to spark the start of the 2015 General Election campaign.

This was reported by every major TV News programme but they took slightly different angles on the same story.

Work through the following tasks to complete your case study on how a news story is reported by different TV news programmes.

Testing what you've learned...

1) What is the angle of a news story? Give an example to explain your answer.

2) What is the difference between tabloid and broadsheet news coverage?

3) What would be an example of a tabloid-style TV news programme?

4) What would be an example of a broadsheet-style TV news programme?

5) What is the difference between international, national, regional and local news coverage?

Answer the questions on the election coverage clips...

BBC News election story - via YouTube

1) Is this international, national, regional or local news? How can you tell?

2) What angle does the report take on the story?

3) Is this more tabloid or broadsheet-style coverage?

4) What kind of audience would you expect to watch this type of TV news programme? Why?


Sky News election story not available online - use your notes

1) Is this international, national, regional or local news? How can you tell?

2) What angle does the report take on the story?

3) Is this more tabloid or broadsheet-style coverage?

4) What kind of audience would you expect to watch this type of TV news programme? Why?


STV (Scottish) coverage of the election story

1) Is this international, national, regional or local news? How can you tell?

2) What angle does the report take on the story?

3) Is this more tabloid or broadsheet-style coverage?

4) What kind of audience would you expect to watch this type of TV news programme? Why?


Channel 4 News coverage of the election story.

1) Is this international, national, regional or local news? How can you tell?

2) What angle does the report take on the story?

3) Is this more tabloid or broadsheet-style coverage?

4) What kind of audience would you expect to watch this type of TV news programme? Why?

Complete for homework if you don't finish it in lesson time - due next Thursday.

TV News case study 2: BBC News at Six

Our second TV News case study is the BBC News at Six. The key details are: 

BBC News at Six
BBC1 Monday - Friday 6pm - 6.28pm

Use BBC iPlayer to watch yesterday's BBC News at Six and then answer the following tasks on your blog:

Basic details

1. What do the letters BBC stand for?
2. How is the BBC funded?
3. What is the BBC's famous mission statement? (Clue: it's three words)
4. What is BBC1's programme remit?
5. How does the BBC News at Six fit into BBC1's remit?

Presenters

1. Who are the presenters of BBC News at Six?
2. What are the presenters wearing? What does this communicate to the audience?
3. Why might a TV News programme use a variety of presenters?
4. How are other reporters or presenters used in the TV news programme?
5. Is there a balance between male and female presenters? What about race/ethnicity? What effect might these aspects have on an audience?

Opening sequence
Analyse the opening 2 minutes of the programme.

1. What is the very first shot?
2. How does the opening sequence use graphics or images to grab the attention of the audience?
3. How is music used in the opening sequence?
4. How are news stories introduced in the opening two minutes? Is there just one story or are the audience told what will be coming up later?

Studio mise-en-scene

1. What aspects of the studio can be seen by the audience?
2. Are the presenters standing or behind desks? Why do you think this is?
3. Are journalists or technology visible? What might these things suggest to the audience?
4. How does the studio use colour?

How news stories are presented

1. How does the news programme typically present a story?
2. What difference techniques does the programme use to present the news? (E.g. presenter to camera, reporter on location, interviews, graphics, images, video etc.)
3. What types of news does the TV News programme typically cover? Give five examples (e.g. politics, international, sport etc.)
4. Give two real examples of how news stories are presented to keep the interest of the audience.

Running order

1. Watch the first 15 minutes of the programme – as recent as you can find.
2. What is the top story?
3. How long does the top story last for?
4. What are the other stories the programme does or will cover? List them in the order they are presented in (the ‘running order’).
5. How long is each story shown for?
6. Why do you think each story was shown for the time it was?

Audience

1. What is the target audience for this BBC News at Six? Research online – you should be able to find plenty of suggestions to the target audience if not the official target audience of the programme.
2. What are the viewing figures for BBC News at Six?
3. Why might someone choose to watch this TV news programme over others?
4. Is there an opportunity for the audience to get involved in the programme or comment?
5. What audience pleasures (Uses and Gratifications theory – Blumler and Katz) does the programme offer?

Institution

1. What other news programmes and services does the BBC offer in addition to the BBC News at Six?
2. What role does OFCOM have in making sure TV News is fair and accurate?
3. The BBC has been accused of 'dumbing down' the News at Six. What does this mean? Do you agree with the accusation that the news is 'dumbed down'?

TV News and New/Digital Media

1. Does the TV News programme have a dedicated website?
2. What does the website offer viewers?
3. Does the TV News programme have a Twitter feed?
4. How does the Twitter feed promote the programme?
5. Is there an opportunity for the audience to get involved in the programme or submit news stories?

You won't be able to do all of this in class - finish the rest for homework. Due: Thursday 30 April.

Walk-and-talk mock exam: preliminary material

Your walk-and-talk GCSE Media mock exam is on Tuesday 28 April in HF01.

The preliminary brief for this exam is available here. 

You MUST prepare a detailed idea for a local TV News programme for West London as outlined in the brief. We will talk you through each question in the exam and help with the timing but we won't be able to come up with an idea for your news programme. You MUST prepare this beforehand.

On Tuesday 28 April you should go to the dining hall instead of your normal media classroom for your morning double lesson. You will then be sent in to HF01 when the exam is ready to start.

Mr Matthews Coursework Folders

I have taken 6 coursework folders home to mark for GCSE moderation - your coursework final deadline was 1 month ago. I have Amina, Yasmin, Ryan, Daniel, Surinder and Shapol's folders, the rest are in the drawer in DF05.

If you submit a folder which does not contain any of the necessary elements you will lose all of the marks for that element. If no evaluation for assignment 3 exists - you will lose 10 marks. If your video is not exported by Mr Quareshi - you will lose 20 marks.

If, for assignment 2, your analysis of two promotional methods does not include your own poster and storyboard analysis [with key terminology and media theorist analysis] you could lose up to 20 marks.

Work in complete silence today to ensure EVERYTHING is in your coursework folder.

For homework - By this Thursday (23rd) you MUST complete all questions for both Channel 4 News and BBC News. This is absolutely essential for your exam.

There are no excuses for you not to complete this.

You will appreciate that on a day when I am unable to attend school - reminding a GCSE class of the most basic expectations on their workload and time-management is not what I ought to be doing. Unless I have emailed you directly - do not send me any electronic copies of your work - I will not print them for you. Have three separate and complete assignments in your folder by 3pm today. On your blog - you will post complete the questions for channel 4 and BBC news by Thursday.

Mr Matthews cover work - Tuesday 21 April

Mr Matthews isn't able to teach your lessons today so instead you have the opportunity to get ahead with your second case study: BBC News at Six. 

Use BBC iPlayer to watch yesterday's BBC News at Six and then answer the following tasks on your blog:

Basic details

1. What do the letters BBC stand for?
2. How is the BBC funded?
3. What is the BBC's famous mission statement? (Clue: it's three words)
4. What is BBC1's programme remit?
5. How does the BBC News at Six fit into BBC1's remit?

Presenters

1. Who are the presenters of BBC News at Six?
2. What are the presenters wearing? What does this communicate to the audience?
3. Why might a TV News programme use a variety of presenters?
4. How are other reporters or presenters used in the TV news programme?
5. Is there a balance between male and female presenters? What about race/ethnicity? What effect might these aspects have on an audience?

Opening sequence
Analyse the opening 2 minutes of the programme.

1. What is the very first shot?
2. How does the opening sequence use graphics or images to grab the attention of the audience?
3. How is music used in the opening sequence?
4. How are news stories introduced in the opening two minutes? Is there just one story or are the audience told what will be coming up later?

Studio mise-en-scene

1. What aspects of the studio can be seen by the audience?
2. Are the presenters standing or behind desks? Why do you think this is?
3. Are journalists or technology visible? What might these things suggest to the audience?
4. How does the studio use colour?

How news stories are presented

1. How does the news programme typically present a story?
2. What difference techniques does the programme use to present the news? (E.g. presenter to camera, reporter on location, interviews, graphics, images, video etc.)
3. What types of news does the TV News programme typically cover? Give five examples (e.g. politics, international, sport etc.)
4. Give two real examples of how news stories are presented to keep the interest of the audience.

Running order

1. Watch the first 15 minutes of the programme – as recent as you can find.
2. What is the top story?
3. How long does the top story last for?
4. What are the other stories the programme does or will cover? List them in the order they are presented in (the ‘running order’).
5. How long is each story shown for?
6. Why do you think each story was shown for the time it was?

Audience

1. What is the target audience for this BBC News at Six? Research online – you should be able to find plenty of suggestions to the target audience if not the official target audience of the programme.
2. What are the viewing figures for BBC News at Six?
3. Why might someone choose to watch this TV news programme over others?
4. Is there an opportunity for the audience to get involved in the programme or comment?
5. What audience pleasures (Uses and Gratifications theory – Blumler and Katz) does the programme offer?

Institution

1. What other news programmes and services does the BBC offer in addition to the BBC News at Six?
2. What role does OFCOM have in making sure TV News is fair and accurate?

TV News and New/Digital Media

1. Does the TV News programme have a dedicated website?
2. What does the website offer viewers?
3. Does the TV News programme have a Twitter feed?
4. How does the Twitter feed promote the programme?
5. Is there an opportunity for the audience to get involved in the programme or submit news stories?

You won't be able to do all of this in class - finish the rest for homework. Due: Thursday 30 April.

TV News Case Study 1: Channel 4 News

Our first TV News case study is Channel 4 News. The key details are:

Channel 4 News
Monday-Friday 7pm - 7.55pm

Answer the following questions on your blog. You'll need to watch an episode of Channel 4 News in order to complete some of these tasks - either watch at home or online.  




Opening titles:

 


Basic details

1. When is Channel 4 News on?
2. When was the programme first broadcast?
3. What awards has the programme won?
4. What is the media institution that produces Channel 4 News?

Presenters

1. Who are the presenters?
2. What are the presenters wearing? What does this communicate to the audience?
3. Why might a TV News programme use a variety of presenters?
4. How are other reporters or presenters used in the TV News programme?
5. Is there a balance between male and female presenters? What about race/ethnicity? What effect might these aspects have on an audience?

Opening sequence

Analyse the opening 2 minutes of the programme.

1. What is the very first shot?
2. How does the opening sequence use graphics or images to grab the attention of the audience?
3. How is music used in the opening sequence?
4. How are news stories introduced in the opening two minutes? Is there just one story or are the audience told what will be coming up later?

Studio mise-en-scene

1. What aspects of the studio can be seen by the audience? (Desk, cameras etc.)
2. Are the presenters standing or behind desks? Why do you think this is?
3. Are journalists or technology visible? What might these things suggest to the audience?
4. How does the studio use colour?

How news stories are presented

1. How does the news programme typically present a story?
2. What difference techniques does the programme use to present the news? (E.g. presenter to camera, reporter on location, interviews, graphics, images, video etc.)
3. What types of news does the TV News programme typically cover? Give five examples (e.g. politics, international, sport etc.)
4. Give two real examples of how news stories presented to keep the interest of the audience.

Running order
Watch the first 15 minutes of the programme – as recent as you can find.

1. What is the top story?
2. How long does the top story last for?
3. What are the other stories the programme does or will cover? List them in the order they are presented in (the ‘running order’).
4. How long is each story shown for?
5. Why do you think each story was shown for the time it was?

Audience

1. What is the target audience for this TV News programme? Research online – you should be able to find plenty of suggestions to the target audience if not the official target audience of the programme.
2. Why might someone choose to watch this TV News programme over others?
3. Is there an opportunity for the audience to get involved in the programme or comment?
4. What audience pleasures (Uses and Gratifications theory – Blumler and Katz) does the programme offer?

Institution

1. Who owns, runs or produces this TV News programme?
2. Does the institution own, run or produce any other TV News programmes, channels or newspapers?
3. How does the programme fit the TV channel it is on?
4. What role does OFCOM have in making sure TV News is fair and accurate?

TV News and New/Digital Media

1. Does the TV News programme have a dedicated website?
2. What does the website offer viewers?
3. Does the TV News programme have a Twitter feed?
4. How does the Twitter feed promote the programme?
5. Is there an opportunity for the audience to get involved in the programme or submit news stories?

Complete for homework anything you don't finish in the lessons. Due: Thursday 23 April.