Codes and conventions of a documentary

1. Codes and conventions
of factual programming
By Connor Thomson

2. What is a News show?
A news program is a regularly scheduled radio or
television program that reports current events. News is
typically reported in a series of individual stories that are
presented by one or more anchors.
News is broadcasting of various news events and other
information through different media platforms, such as
television, radio and internet. The content is usually either
produced locally in a radio studio or television studio
newsroom, or by a broadcast network. It may also include
additional material such as sports coverage, weather
forecasts, traffic reports, commentary and other material
that the broadcaster feels is relevant to their audience.

3. The codes & conventions of a
news show.
 News anchors and reporters- these are the main reporters in the studio, reading out the main news
and introducing news stories.
 Field reporters- these are the reporters who tend to be at the scene of the event, reporting on the
latest information.
 Interviews- interviews are used to get more information from a story. I.e. a specialist will come in to
talk further about the story.
 Experts and witnesses- this is having guess speakers coming in to talk about an important story or
important figure.
 Actual footage- this I usual live or first hand footage of the event, linking to the story.
 A report structure- this is the structure of the news program, such as the most important stories being
told first. Also could be the reporter stating the story in the studio, cut to an interview, then a reporter at
the scene, then back to the studio.
 Modes of address to viewer- this is how the reporter delivers the news to the consumer.
 Links to studio- this when a news show links in to another studio elsewhere.

4. What is a documentary?
 A documentary is a broad term to describe a non-fiction
movie that in some way "documents" or captures reality
and real life events.
 Documentaries are often used to reveal an unusual,
interesting or unknown angle that hasn't yet been
previously explored. Topics of documentaries are
endless and are only limited to ones own imagination,
as long as there is factual information and has an
audience.

5. The 5 modes of
documentaries.
 THE EXPOSITORY MODE- This mode is what we most identify with the documentary - it "emphasizes verbal
commentary and argumentative logic" often using a narrator, broadcasting events such as WW2 and the
peoples points of view.
 Observational (objective) mode is attempted to capture (as accurately as possibly) objective reality with
filmmaker as neutral observer. The filmmaker remains hidden behind the camera, ignored by the surrounding
environment he/she neither changes nor influences the actions/events being captured. Since nothing is staged
for the camera, the camera rushes about to keep up with the action resulting in rough, shaky, often amateur-
looking footage.
 THE PARTICIPATORY MODE
Unlike the observational mode, the participatory mode welcomes direct engagement between. The filmmaker
becomes part of the events being recorded. The filmmakers impact on the events being recorded is
acknowledged, indeed, it is often celebrated.
 THE REFLEXIVE MODE - The Reflexive Mode acknowledges the constructed nature of documentary and
flaunts it - conveying to people that this is not necessarily "truth" but a reconstruction of it - "a" truth, not "the"
truth
 THE PERFORMATIVE MODE - This mode of documentary emphasizes the subjective nature of the
documentarian as well as acknowledging the subjective reading of the audience - notions of objectivity
are replaced by "evocation and affect"