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2. Codes and Conventions
Codes and conventions are what makes a media programme
what it is; it’s how the equipment is used and what’s involved
in the programme. Codes are how things are done, they can
be split into two categories – symbolic and technical.
Technical codes are how equipment is used, like different
camera work in different genres of film. Symbolic codes are
what we can’t see, how a character’s actions in a film show
how he/she is feeling (symbolic codes aren’t used in factual
programmes).
Conventions are the generally accepted way things are done,
like using specialists when talking about
complex/uncommon topics on a news programme.

3. List of Codes and Conventions
Of a Factual News Programme
Studio newsreader,
Field Reporters,
Links to studios with a specialist or eye witness,
Interactive mode to indulge the viewer,
Interviews (aggressive style, sympathy if speaking to victim)
Talks with experts,
Footage of the current story/event,
Voiceovers,
Television screen in background showing pictures about the current story
being reported,
Dramatic introduction at the start and at cuts back into the studio,
Still, professional camera work,
Desk/sofa with table,
Shuffling papers/notepad.

4. How do they inform and determine
audience responses?
Different codes and conventions are more appropriate
for different programmes, you wouldn’t want the
camera work to be constantly moving as it would be
distracting. In film, lighting could be used to trigger
different responses like flickering lights often means
suspense. Although you couldn’t really use this in
factual programming, other actions can trigger emotion.
For example, showing video/images of a warzone or a
battlefield could make people feel sad.
All the conventions are used to efficiently inform the
viewer of local and global news.

5. Documentaries
Interactive Documentaries – The presenter/filmmaker takes
part and interacts with the people he’s documenting. He uses
a wide range of multimedia tools to make it more enticing
and increase interaction with the audience.
Investigative Documentaries – In this mode, the producer
initially introduces a problem which he then goes on to solve.
Observational Documentary – Observational documentaries
simply attempt to document lived life with no intervention or
as little as possible. The earliest documentaries of this genre
date back to the 1960s. New technology has made these
much more possible with new cameras and especially sound
recording devices.

6. More Documentaries
Expository Documentary – These documentaries speak directly to
the viewer, they are made to persuade. They often use voiceovers
and a strong male lead voice. They also usually propose an
argument with a strong/controversial point of view.
‘Mockumentary’ – A fiction film that uses the ‘documentary format’
to suggest the scenarios on screen are real life situations that have
been captured by a production team. They most often mock
observational style documentaries and they frequently use
unknowing members of the public to give a false sense of realism.
Docudrama – Docudramas use fiction and actors to recreate a
period of time or an event, it’s often also called ‘documentary
theatre’

7. The Newsroom Episode
The Newsroom episode demonstrated a lot of the codes
and conventions that we talked about – like the typical
dramatic introduction to every factual news
programme, interviews with field experts, background
visuals with updates and images, voiceovers, the
expected desk with the reporter shuffling papers. There
was also demonstration of aggressive interviewing.