Lesson 3: TV News Report

A Work with a partner and discuss what you see in the picture below.

B Read the text silently and answer the questions that follow.

Have you noticed TV reporters appearing on the screen with reports of different types of news? Have you thought how these reports are prepared? Scorching sun, monsoonal showers or bitter winter can never stop them from reaching the news spot. The reports include political issues, people's protests, accidents, social events or thoughtful opinion of expert people, price hike, a celebration

after a cricket match win and what not? TV reporters do not miss or delay to cover them.

It is said that old news is no news. Consequently, there is always a hurry among the reporters to be up-to-date in developing stories or even break the story first.

Breaking news has become popular among the viewers, it means the first and fast appearance of a startling news on the channels. Once a journalist has been assigned by his editor to cover a story, a team is formed. Usually it consists of a journalist, a camera operator and sometimes a sound and or a light technician also join as crew. The journalist investigates the topic, plans interviewing the relevant people and puts forward a concrete idea of the topic which is going to be filmed. The news team then goes out to cover the news and collect the materi- als. The voice over is then recorded in a studio usually by the journalist or a news presenter. This is the voice that the audience hear while the video clip moves on narrating the story and the reporter is not seen on the screen at that time. It is done to make the visual material and the full story clear to the audience with information and explanation. The editor may edit the report before it is ready to go on air, but often there may be live reporting of incidents.

A TV news report usually begins with an announcement. One or two short sentences explain what it is about. Then in the main report we see the reporter is describing an event into a microphone. To emphasize the significance of the situ- ation, to show its authenticity, and to convey the feelings of the reporter and others involved, the reporter stands in front of the camera so that the audience can see what's going on in the background. The shots of the scene need to be easy to understand since it provides important visual information to the viewers. It depends on the skills of the camera operator.

In a TV report, there are usually comments or opinions from one to four persons who are related. These statements can be for or against a particular topic. TV news report can use graphics like charts, tables, graphs or archive materials like old photos or videos to make it more comprehensive and credible to the audience. In the concluding part, the reporter summarizes the possible outcomes of the story.

A live coverage of a news is different. Everything has to be finished on the spot and news video is aired instantly and in most cases without much pre-planning.

There is no chance of editing and very little chance for retaking the shot there. Quick intelligent decisions and prompt management of required technical assistance in a situation determines the quality of live reports. Reporters need to be careful to keep camera shots short and to the point. They also need to use simple language, and speak clearly and concisely as there will be time constraints for each piece of report. In order to keep video shots steady, the camera operator often uses a tripod.

Questions

1. Does unfavorable weather condition stop a TV news reporter from covering a news?
2. What is a breaking news?
3. Why is voice over added to a TV news report?
4. How is a live news coverage different in making from recorded news story?
5. What are some points about which the TV reporters need to be careful?

C Read the following statements and say whether they are true or false. If false, give the true information.

a. A TV news reporter does not use voice over in a live coverage. b. Graphics and archive materials are not at all necessary for TV news report. c. The reporter comes in front of the camera just to show himself. d. A camera person determines the quality of the shots in the scene. e. In the concluding part of the TV news report, the reporter gives his own opinion.

D Match the words or phrases from column A with similar meanings in column B and make sentences with them. One is done for you.

Column A Column B price hike declaration announcement respondent authenticity records coverage reporting on air broadcast graphics increase in expense archive a three legged stand interviewee visual representation of data tripods actuality

E Here is a poem on news. Read it individually and then work in pairs to discuss what interesting news you get here.

The News

Here is The News: 'Two incredible shoes Two incredible shoes That's The News.

When it rains They walk down drains.

They glow in the snow.

They grizzle in a drizzle.

They sneeze in a breeze.

They sneeze in a breeze.

They get warm in a storm.

They go soggy When it is foggy.

They've even hissed in a mist.

But (sad to say) There comes a terrible frost. This is what happened: They got lost.'

That was The News 'Two incredible shoes. Two incredible shoes. That was The News. -Michael Rosen

F News- shoes, rains - drains are some rhyming words in the poem. What other rhyming words do you find in the poem? Work with your partner to find out their meanings. G Suppose you are a news reporter of a TV channel. You have an assignment to cover the news on the incredible shoes mentioned in the poem. Do a role play of a TV news reporter along with two or three partners as interviewees who will share their imaginary experience of the shoes.