The document discusses the strategies used in selecting and presenting news stories for a student broadcast program. The group chose a hard news story about sixth form fears facing local teenagers and a soft news story about new technology taking over the local area. Both stories were made simple to explain and focused on recent events in the Midlands to engage the target audience of older teenagers. The hard news story uses Barthes' Enigma Theory by starting with a question, while the soft news story employs Levi Strauss' Binary Opposition Theory to explain how an old Waterstones store has changed into a new Apple store.

1. By Sinead McTernan

4.  We chose our stories in order to make them unique to the
audience. Hard News is about sixth form fears which local
people may not be aware of without watching the Programme.
Our Soft News is also unique to inform the audience of
technology that is taking over in their local area.

5.  As a group we chose our stories to fit to this News Value.
Our Hard News story and Soft News Story were simple to
explain so that it was easy to broadcast and more
understanding for our target audience. We made sure that
the scripts for the story were not too complex to make sure
that the audience stay engaged.

6.  As a group we made sure that our stories were not old that they
were recent happenings in the Midlands. We realised that the
audience want to be up to date with what is going on recently in
society. Our Hard News is happening recently and continues
from the broadcast, our Soft News is recent being a couple of
days after the official opening of the store.

7.  Barthes Enigma Theory was used in our Hard News story where the
Script started off with a question.
 Due to the way people are when a question is asked in the media the
audience usually watch the Programme to find out what the answer is,
it is a good technique to use when trying to engage an audience.
 We chose our Hard News story specifically because our target
audience is older teenagers which means they will be the age where
Sixth Forms being discontinued will have an impact on them and this
story will interest them.
 The question is asked at the start of the script and then the story will
be explained and answered at the end of the report.
 Our question – “ Are School’s and Education under pressure across
the West Midland’s?” which ends in the result that Archbishop Ilsley is
safe but this is not guaranteed for all Sixth Forms.

8.  We have used Levi Strauss’ Binary Opposition
Theory for our Soft News Story, with the idea
that no one will understand something without
understanding the opposite to that.
 This theory will be used in our Programme to
explain how the Old Waterstones store has
changed to a New Apple Store.
 The audience understand what the Old is being
the Waterstones store but through our report we
will be able to explain to them and give them an
understanding of the New which is the Apple
Store.