News

Conventio
ns

Definition

Reference

Studio News
Reader

A news reader is a person who

and writes broadcast news
bulletins and then reads these
stories (Oxford 2016) live on air.
They are recognisable by their
smartly dressed appearance,
the fluency and manner in
which they speak piece to
camera. The News reader is
usually in the centre of the
screen and is the main focus of
the camera so as to be the
centre of attention as they are
the one reciting the news. The
background is usually a video or
a live view with subtle
movements in the background
so that the news doesnt lose
the attention of the viewer.

Oxford (2016)
Newsreader, in Oxford
Dictionary. Available at:
http://www.oxforddictionari
es.com/definition/english/n
ewsreader?
q=News+Reader
(Accessed: 14 April 2016).

Field reporters are analyst or

secondary reporters that air their
reports from the field which is the
scene or setting of the news story
they are reporting. (field reporter
definition 2008) The reporter is usually
in the centre of the screen to gain
the full attention of the viewer
although the background in which

Field reporter definition

(2008) Available at:
https://uk.answers.yahoo.
com/question/index?
qid=20080820080223AAI
0ABl (Accessed: 20 April
2016).

Field
Reporters

Example

Reference
ShhhTelevisin
(2011) BBC world |
BBC news with
Peter Coe (2001).
Available at:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=5eSjxKxsAPo
(Accessed: 20
April 2016).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=5eSjxKxsAPo

Young & Strange

(2015) MUST SEE!
Magicians young &
strange Hijack sky
news!. Available
at:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=JqD_1TFhJdw

(Field Reporters
cont.)

Links to
Studio

the reporter is set is usually scenic

or has a strong view with a scene
that is linked to the news story.
Field reporters are dressed
differently depending on the news
story or the field setting and
conditions. For example the first
video shows a man in a suit,
presented very similarly to the
studio reporter. This is because the
reporters news story is on the
parliament and the weather
conditions are not too low or too
high, he is able to wear a suit.
Although it is common for the
reporters to wear thick coats, in low
weather conditions and lighter
coloured clothes in high
temperatures. The second example
shows the reporter in formal
clothes except he also wears a
bullet proof jacket. This is for safety
reasons as the field in which he
reporting is a dangerous or deadly
place. The way he is presented
conveys this through he is dressed.
Links to studio is a convention used
in news when a reporter, typically a
field reporter, streams a video
either live or pre-recorded from the
site of the news report to the
studio. Links to studio can also be
used as a form of interview if the
expert or witness in not in a close

(Accessed: 20
April 2016).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=JqD_1TFhJdw

Easy Nook Studio

(2007) BBC Ten
Oclock news
opening - Iraq 4
years on. Available
at:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=J0Xw_aAjA1w
(Accessed: 20
April 2016).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=J0Xw_aAjA1w

mattwako (2011) Sioned

Jewell. Available at:
http://www.slideshare.net
/mattwako/factualprogramming-10324123
(Accessed: 25 April
2016).

John Moore (2016)

Frauke Petry vs.
Channel 4 news:
Immigration;
Muslims & terror
(march2016).
Available at:
https://www.youtu

proximity to the studio or reporter.

The video can be streamed from
close locations such as the same
city as the studio or from further
away such a different country. This
video shows an example of links to
studio, as it shows two streamed
videos. Both of these streamed
videos are from Brussels (Belgium)
and Leipzig (Germany). Another
convention is that these videos are
typically shown using split screen,
so that viewer can see both
reporter and interviewee. Reporters
typically end links to studio report
with words such back to the
studio or back back to you to
signify the transition from field
report back to studio.

Mode of
address to
viewer

Mode of address is how the

media piece is presented to the
audience and how the audience
interpret it (Tinaaaxo_, 2012).
Depending on the news type
and to whom they are aiming
their broadcast at, depends on
how they present themselves
through appearance, graphics,
and speech. For example Sky
news is aimed at adults and
therefore reflects this in their
broadcasts. The news readers

be.com/watch?
v=A2rfQuS-LeY
(Accessed: 20
April 2016).

https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=A2rfQuS-LeY

Tinaaaxo_ (2012) Sophia

Michael. Available at:
http://www.slideshare.net
/Tinaaaxo_/mode-ofaddress-media
(Accessed: 27 April
2016).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=07V10sDB9xo

Sky News (2015)

David Cameron on
running for PM
again, tax credit
cuts and
immigration |
Eamonn Holmes
interview.
Available at:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=07V10sDB9xo
(Accessed: 20
April 2016).

and reporters are dressed

formally in suits so that adult
audience trusts the information
given, and knows the broadcast
is significant. This is also why
the news reporters speak
formally. Their graphics are
simple and lack colour as the
information is the most
important part of the broadcast.
Whereas for the news show
Newsround it is aimed at
children. The graphics are

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Z4Jupc9WfH8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=uBqacAj38-o

Interviewing

Interviews in the news are either

conducted face to face or using
links to studio. The shots within a
face to face interview are typically
a mid-shot of the interviewer and a
mid-shot of the interviewee(s), as
well as a shot with both interviewer
and interviewee(s). This video
shows an interview in 2016 with
Barack Obama. This interview uses
this convention as the shots in the
interview change between a single
shot of Barack Obama a single
shot of the interviewer and a two

mattwako (2011) Sioned

Jewell. Available at:
http://www.slideshare.net
/mattwako/factualprogramming-10324123
(Accessed: 25 April
2016).

Ricky Boleto
(2011) CBBC
Newsround with
Ricky Boleto.
Available at:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=Z4Jupc9WfH8
(Accessed: 27
April 2016).
MTV News (2016)
15 honest reasons
you should vote |
the racket | MTV
news. Available at:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=uBqacAj38-o
(Accessed: 25
April 2016).
BBC News (2015)
President Barack
Obama (FULL)
interview - BBC
news. Available at:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=YdU7fUXDLpI
(Accessed: 20
April 2016).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=YdU7fUXDLpI

(Interviewing
cont.)

Experts and
witnesses

shot of them both. This convention

is also used in a more informal
interview on MTV. In the MTV
interview the shots are the same,
except portray informally from the
positioning of the interviewer and
interviewee(s). For example in the
MTV interview them closer to each
other and are all wearing casual
cl0othing, rather than in the BBC
interview where the interviewer
and Barack Obama are directly
opposite one another and the two
shot is rarely shown within the
interview. The other type of
interview that is commonly used in
the news is the links to studio
interview. This is where the
interview happens over
broadcasted video links to different
locations over the world such as
skype. These interviews often
shown using split screen this
means viewer can see both
reporter and interviewees
reactions and mimics the feeling
and shots of a face to face
interview.
Experts:
Experts are used in news reports to
bring new credited information to a
news report. The viewer is more
likely to trust the information on
the subject of the news report from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=UmSYK1p7qdU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=KBw2AJFNYYI

Bigsmoke1991 (2011)
Available at:
http://www.slideshare.net
/954869/codesconventions-10458033
(Accessed: 25 April
2016).

Experts:

Sheehaniguns Rus
(2013) The mortal
instruments MTV
interview.
Available at:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=UmSYK1p7qdU
(Accessed: 20
April 2016).
Sharanya Sekaram
(2013) Sharanya
Sekaram: Live
Skype interview
with sky news
15.11.2013.
Available at:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=KBw2AJFNYYI
(Accessed: 25
April 2016).

AXELOS (2015)
AXELOS Nick
Wilding discusses
the TalkTalk cyber
attack on ITV
news. Available at:
https://www.youtu

a witness rather than the studio

reporter. This information is also
more detailed and also gives the
viewer a chance to gain a different
point of view on the subject.
(Experts and
witnesses
Cont.)

be.com/watch?
v=SO6swR6b4Qo
(Accessed: 20
April 2016).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=SO6swR6b4Qo

Witnesses:
Witnesses are used in news reports
to give their point of view and
opinion on an incident or event.
Witnesses explain what happened
from a first-hand perspective and
this reinforces the facts that have
told within the news report. These
witnesses can be interviewed over
the phone, via studio links and
skype of pre-recorded face to face.

Witnesses:

BBC News (2014)

My friend Robert
Mugabe - witness BBC news.
Available at:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=gU4giKZcGwE
(Accessed: 20
April 2016).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=gU4giKZcGwE

Report
Structure

The report structure is the shots

and structure that the news reports
use continuously to layout their
broadcast.
PTC (Piece to Camera):
Piece to camera is when the
reporter speaks directly to
the camera to dictate facts

McDermid, V. (2016) Do
you need to know kwl to
be kwl? Available at:
http://www.collinsdictiona
ry.com/dictionary/english/
piece-to-camera
(Accessed: 25 April
2016).

mralan1969uk
(2012) The end of
the world 2012 BBC news report.
Available at:
https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=ki3GaqfK8u4

and information from the

scene of the event or from
the studio. (McDermid, 2016)
C/A (Cutaway):
A cutaway is when a shot
abruptly switches from one
scene to another. This is
used in the news to
introduce new content, or
link to shots together and
shows coinciding actions. It
also adds suspense and
drama to the news report to
keep the viewer interested
and reinforces the
importance of the
information. (Dictionary, no
date)

V/O (Voice Over):

Voice Overs are used in
news reports to explain
information whilst other
images are used on screen.
These images can be shots
that link to the story
(cutaways) or that link to
the information in the voice
over. This is so that the
information ca still me told,
whilst being shown evidence
or cutaways. Voice overs
can also explain information
such as graphs and other
data or used to dictate any

(Accessed: 20
April 2016).

Dictionary (no date) The

definition of cutaway.
Available at:
http://www.dictionary.com
/browse/cutaway
(Accessed: 25 April
2016).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ki3GaqfK8u4

Actuality
footage

points that are being shown

on screen and reinforce
these facts, by hearing and
seeing them.
I/V (interview):
Different types of people are
interviewed in news reports.
These people can be
witnesses, experts or
participants in the news
story. Interviews are
essentially to gain another
perspective on the report
subject. This can be
information and facts, or a
fist hand description of an
event.
Vox Pops: voice of the people:
This is when random people
from the street are shown
sharing their opinion on a
subject to reinforce or
object to a point made in
the news report. Vox pops
make the audience feel like
they are involved in the
news and the public point of
view is being considered in
the issues.
Actuality footage if footage that is
2nd hand footage that is footage of
real events, places, and things
(Privacy and providers, 2014). This
footage is used in the news to show
the viewer the point of view from

Privacy and providers, A.

to search (2014) Meaning
of actuality film. Available
at:
http://www.encyclo.co.uk/
meaning-of-Actuality

ITV News (2014)

Shopping bags at
dawn: Black Friday
hits the UK.
Available at:
https://www.youtu

the event and from the people. It is

usually filmed on phones by people
and shared via social media or sent
into the news company to use in
their report. Because it is filmed on
phones and other hand held
devises, the quality is usually low.

%20film (Accessed: 27
April 2016).

be.com/watch?v=gVXunPgNdc
(Accessed: 20
April 2016).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVXunPgNdc