News Reporter Conventions

News Package

This is about the centre of Boko Haram activity where a few months back around May time, hundreds of people were massacred. John Simpson, the field reporter/presenter in the show had been given rare access to Borno state. 

In this news report, we first witness visuals of archive footage, which is one convention of a news package. This is a piece of footage that has been taken live from an event by bystanders of the situation. This means the quality of the footage wouldn't be as clear as what the news team would be able to make it, however this makes it more interesting for the viewers as you get to hear people’s reactions and to watch the actions within the actuality footage. Actuality footage is also used because news crews wouldn't be able to catch the footage themselves as it's impossible due to the condition of the scene, e.g. natural disasters like a flooding, tsunamis etc. From 0:03 to 0:38, we are given footage of a group of girls sitting and standing, forced to chant the same words to the camera, having even more of an impact to the viewers for they get to see the emotions that they are feeling. The footage makes is believable to viewers as they get to experience the pain with them for they start to feel sympathetic towards them. 

In news packages, we may see a few mini interviews with either experts or witnesses or both, that have been effected by the situation or knows very well about the background of the topic. Only parts of the interviews are shown on TV due to some information being provided is not useful and relevant enough, or they do so to keep the audience engaged as a long clip of information being given for a long period of time may become tiring. Also, graphics is used to name tag the interviewee or expert and their role within the report to tell the audience their identification and their importance to the report. An example of this is at 4:20, an interview with a man who explains what they're going to do in the situation and how he feels towards what's gone on. The camera language is a simple mid shot for the viewer’s main focus to concentrate on what the man is trying to say, but is also jerky to reflect on the atmosphere that is going around them to create a bigger scene to display everyone's reactions. Graphics appears at 4:22 with the man’s name, and his role which in this case, is the governor of Borno, making him an important person to the report and making him a reliable source as he will make decisions that will help the situation. 

A field reporter is the main anchor of the news package who delivers the news to viewers at home. They would either be an expert of the background of the topic they are reporting, or they would be a part of the situation themselves. Depending on the type of situation, their costume, location and tone of voice each have an impact on the topic to look the part. For example, when a report wears some sort of body armour out in a country where a war is going on, this would be suitable as it warns the audience the danger, and the type of situation that is going on. The anchor in the field report is dressed quite formal, even though the environment he is in from 3:35 and onwards has been damaged. We see buildings that have been knocked down and crumbled; however, wearing a suit tells viewers how serious the news report really is. At 3:36, we witness a boy amongst all the damage, scurrying along in the background with products in his hands that he found in the grub that's been left. This impacts deeply on the audience because it shows their desperation, and because it's a child, we would feel even sorrier because he is a victim in this all.

Mode of address is when the presenter delivers information effectively and professionally. In a News package, it varies when a change in story is reported because of the different aspect of the topic. For example, if the topic was about death, then the mode of address would be sad and very serious. This suits the story best and helps makes viewers know that this is a very sad situation. John Simpson has a clear British accent with well-spoken English, depicting his high status. He emphasises on words that are important so viewers can maintain the piece of information that they specifically need to know or would like to know, he does this partly throughout the whole news report. BBC is a 'Broadcasting Corporation', so having Ted Simpson report the news with his British accent to the British public would make it easier for them to understand what's going on which is an advantage. His tone of voice throughout is low to convey how upsetting and distraught this is causing people in Borno, this is seen when Simpson talks to a man that has been affected by it all as his sisters, nieces etc. have been held hostage. 

For Report Structure, this is how the show is presented in order and what is contained within it. The first structure is the 'Sign in and context' where the presenter explains who they are, the name of the news, what is coming up on the reports, and ending with a prediction to get the viewer’s thinking. Then, there may be archive footage with voice overs to explain what is happening giving the audience more of a reliable source as they visually see that what is happening is real. Then there are the interviews with witnesses, experts and vox pops to share opinions that viewers feel they could relate to. There are cutaways and noddies used to dissect sections of interviewers and stick parts of the interview together so there are no jumps that work unevenly and unprofessionally. This news report has only a few conventions, for example, at the start we have actuality footage to delve straight into the situation instead of having the news reporter telling context and signing in. This keeps the viewer’s more engaged as the voiceover the archive footage explains in depth of what's happening, and translates the language of the people in Borno to help viewers understand what they're trying to tell us. The viewers will also feel some sort of urgency to this sudden footage as it's real and is filmed by the non-victimised people, and there is no long introduction to the report as it more or less cuts straight to the point. There is a lot of pieces to camera, an example of this is when the presenter is in the car and there is a mid-shot of him explaining to the viewer’s where he's going and the impact the situation has on the country as the roads they have travelled on are 'empty', conveying isolation. Looking directly into the camera while saying this in the car shows the journey to destruction, bringing us in more as we want to witness the place he is travelling to, keeping viewers on edge. There is a sign out right at the end of the report as a voiceover. 

This news report is about Michael Jackson's death that includes the convention, links to studio. This is when the field reporter interacts with the studio. During a live report, the field reporter will link to the studio specifically to discuss either the situation they are in, or to answer back any information the studio want to know and to report. This convention is used to also show the location that they are at to give viewers a bigger view of the atmosphere of the storyline and the effect it has. This footage is live and shows the woman at a place where we can see looks and sounds very busy, witnessing peoples reactions to his death. This live footage reports about the situation, and also answers some questions that the presenter in the studio is asking her. Having the reporter in a crowd of people shows how realistic it is, as links to studio usually may have it somewhere where there are no people in the background which doesn't create more of a scene which is less engaging to the viewers. The camera language remains a long mid shot, with the presenter's head to waist being displayed. This has been done do that viewers can catch every body language, hand gesture, and facial expression she makes towards every question given and every answer feedback, reflecting on how viewers would react the same way and t bring together a connection of sadness to his death.