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.