A brief intro to the codes or conventions of broadcast TV news (used in the factual programming unit)

1. The Codes & Conventions of
Broadcast TV News

2. Studio news readers
These are the main reporters / presenters
that appear in broadcast TV news.

3. Studio news readers
But what do they do???

4. What do studio news readers /
presenters do?
- Conduct in depth research, identify &
develop news stories of interest.
- Edit copy from other reporters or external
news agencies.
- Write news bulletins, links and assist in the
production of scripts.
- Research & conduct interview’s in the
studio or on location
- Provide briefings to crew and contributors

5. What personal &
professional attributes /
skills do news readers
need?

6. Understand legal &
ethical issues which
affect journalism
Editorial knowledge
What personal & professional
attributes / skills do news readers need?
Good communication skills
Good interpersonal skills

7. Visual Codes
What does the presenters appearance
communicate to the audience?

8. Visual Codes
Neat, conservative haircut
Clean shaven
Suit: Professional, respectable, smart

9. Visual Codes
Would you trust your news from this guy?

10. Contributors
What kinds of contributors would you expect
to see on a news programme?
- Experts
- Witnesses
- Members of the public (vox pops)

11. Report structure
Reports are normally comprised of the same
techniques:
- PTC: Piece To Camera
- C/A: Cut Away’s
- V/O: Voice Over
- I/V: Interview
- Vox Pops: Voice of the People
- Graphics

12. Typical structure of a story
C/A I/V C/A I/V PTC C/A

13. TASK
Find a TV news programme on 4OD, BBC
iPlayer or another VOD service.
Analyze it and critically assess what the
codes and conventions are for TV news
broadcast’s, how they are used and to what
effect.