2. Language
News Package- A single news feature that has been pre-recorded and editing
together before broadcasting.
Outside Broadcast (OB)- Live feed to a field reporter at the location of the story,
gives the appearance of capturing news as it happens (on-location report).
Piece To Camera (PTC)- Reporter addresses the audience straight down the lens.
Could be in a live feed or part of a news package.
3. Language 2
Voice Over (VO)- Reporters voice tells us the story and the facts over the top of a
different image.
General Views (GVs)- Shots used to illustrate a story. Visuals are important in TV.
Interviews- Interviews with key people involved or experts about the story.
Vox Pops- Short interviews canvassing the opinion of the public. The voice of the
people.
4. Language 3
Astons- Graphics in the bottom third of the screen that give the name and title of the
interviewees or reporters. Adds kudos to them if experts or special Royal
Correspondents etc.
Graphics- Displayed on screen to give facts and figures about a story or graphical
representation.
Re-enactments- Sometimes used to show what happened in a situation if no footage
exists. Must always state they are re-enactments and not real.
5. Language 4
Links to Studio- Field reporters on location will link back to the studio and the
news anchor often signing off with their name and location.
Library Footage- Archie footage used as GVs for a story when no other footage is
available. This may be from own archives or news agency.
Idents- Brand is important in TV news and the idents of the news programme are
important in a multi-channel, multi-platform age.
6. News
Programmes-
Genre
Studio Presenters- Often called anchors, they host the show reading or
introducing the stories and doing interviews and provide the spine of the show.
The Studio Set- Usually have one table and a chair, or desk and seats or a sofa.
The Studio Background- Likely to have images or graphics that are connected to
the channel and stories. Some show a busy newsroom to stress the urgency of the
news, mainly bold colours.
Formal Codes of Dress- The BBC and ITV are very formal with shirts and ties for
the gents to reinforce the importance and seriousness of the news.
7. News- Modes of Address
This is the style of delivery of presenters and reports. It sets the mood and tone
and is usually authoritative.
• Direct address straight at the viewers, down the camera.
• Use of personal pronouns eg. Thank you for watching.
• Very clear, smooth fluent and articulate diction.
• Any accents on national news are small.
• Straight o MCU for news presenters.
• Title sequence captures fast moving pace of news and national/international.
Music adds importance.
• News anchors announce tops stories at the start.
• High angle LS of studio at start to emphasize size.
• Interviewees generally look off camera to reporters.
8. News- Grammar of TV News
Due to time constraints, TV news has developed its own linguistic conventions.
Sound bites reign supreme.
• The use of present tense creates a sense of urgency.
• Future tense often used as means to prediction when empting what the news
may be.
• Active voices to add drama. Emphasis and pauses.
• The hook- main news element at start of stories.
• Verbs to adds urgency and action.
• Audience ‘teed up’ for information. Before quotes the persons name is
announced.
• Stories must be concise, one sentence is one idea.
