Chosen channel

Looking at the four different programmes gave us a clear insight into what would be needed in our news programme. The detailed analysis allowed me to see which features worked well and which ones I personally did not think worked well. Out of the four channels the one that inspired us the most was ITV News. Everything about the news programme we liked and wanted to use in our programme.

Analysis of Features

After looking at the background information of ITV News, Sky News, Channel 4 News and BBC News I will analyse which features I like and do not like that each of the programmes have used. This will provide us with a sound basis for beginning to think what we will include in our news programme.

After looking at the four different clips of the news programmes here is a list of features that we are going to use in our news programme.

1) We are going to place the logo throughout the three products trying to great a brand identity. I will produce a backdrop to place the logo on for the news programme as has been used in the clips I looked at. Placing the logo on the backdrops used in filming the programme will give it a professional look and appeal to the target audience.

2) We are going to set a colour scheme to use throughout the three products again trying to create that brand identity and a professional look. This will hopefully give the products an interesting edge and make them recognisable in the media. I will look at colour schemes later on in the coursework.

3)I like the use of ITV's title sequence combined with a quick shot of the news presenter explaining the top story before it starts. This draws the user in as they are given an idea of what is going to be covered in tonight's show. This feature looked very professional in ITV's title sequence and we want to create a similar look.

4)We want to create an effective title sequence like all of the news programmes have done. They all have different title sequences and different theme tunes which all build up tension and create a serious tone for what is about to be discussed. We will try to adapt this feature into our designs.

5)Also some of the clips from the previous posts show the presenter either sitting or standing by a desk. This business format looks like they 'mean business' and a serious nature is created through this. I prefer the presenter sitting behind a desk as they appear to be more relaxed and professional. We will try to adapt this feature to our news programme as well.

Sky News - title sequence

Sky News is a 24 hour international news broadcaster reporting on UK and international news stories. The channel focuses on the latest breaking news and broadcasts from a news centre in London. The broadcaster also provides an hourly news radio service to various radio networks in the UK and Ireland.

The news programme has a focus of breaking news furthermore when major breaking news reaches the channel there tends to be two presenters, one in the sky news centre and the other reporting from the incident. It has started to use the old 'double-headed style' to get instant information from the incident. This draws the audience in as the technique allows the audience to get information straight from the scene and at the same have two peoples views.

Sky has an interactive channel which can be accessed by sky viewers. By pressing the red button viewers can choose specific areas of the news they want to find out about. The different options which can be chosen are; Headlines, Weather, Sport and many more relating to the top stories. The news channel also has a website which is regularly updated containing a huge content of news stories. I will look at the website in more detail when I begin the planning of our website.

'Theme Tune'

I regularly watch Sky news and would recognise the 'theme tune' anywhere like BBC. Out of all the news channels I prefer to watch this one as I like the format they use. The tune they use is very effective as the fast beat of the music grabs your attention making the issues serious. The rushing noises and different pitches create an effective tone which draws the viewer in.

Here is the theme tune Sky News uses

I think Sky's title sequence is very effective as it makes a clear link with all three of its products. The title sequence displays the top story from the news programme and also shows some stories from the website. This is very effective in creating brand identity which we will try and do for our programme. We will try and make direct links between our products maybe taking on board what Sky have done in the title sequence as it looks very effective.

ITV News

ITV News has been provided and produced by ITN since September 1955 to the present day. The channel has the second largest TV news audience in the UK, second only to BBC News. The programme has regularly been praised for its heavy news coverage from institutions such as BAFTA, Emmy Awards and the Royal Television Society. ITV news has also been praised for its familiar team of reporters and newscasters including Trevor McDonald and Alastair Stewart.


The channel has a news website which is part of the ITV website. There is a seperate news network off of the main ITV site. The website is regularly updated and displays all the latest stories and videos. I will go in to more detail on ITVs news website when I begin to plan for our website.


'Theme Tune'

I regularly watch ITV News and would recognise the 'theme tune' anywhere. The tune is very effective as it captures the viewers attention and draws them in with the high and low tones. The switch between the tones catches the viewers attention as it gradually builds up tension ready for the topics to be discussed.

Here is ITV News' theme tune that they use

I really like ITV's overall look in general and the way the sequence has been put together. The tones are very effective in building up tension ready for addressing the serious issues. I like how the logo has been used to draw in the viewer and add to that brand identity. I also like the colour scheme which has been used. It is simple but eye catching with the cross fade to the presenter giving the programme an interesting look. I really like this sequence and shall use all the discussed features in my designs.

BBC News - Title Sequence

BBC News gathers and produces news stories for BBC television, radio and for its website. It is the largest broadcasting news gatherer in the world with a daily output of 120 hours. Its key objective is to "collect news and information in any part of the world and in any manner that may be thought fit". The main BBC news department is located within the BBC Television Centre. BBC's ability of having a global reach is the largest and deepest in the world: with correspondents in almost all 240 countries worldwide. Having this huge number of correspondents allows BBC news to get the latest news as soon as it arouses in any country.

The channel has a website which displays the different issues discussed during the News. The website is regularly updated to ensure the users are continuously informed. I will look at BBC's website in more detail later on in the project when I begin to plan for our News website.

'Theme Tune'

I regularly watch BBC news and would recognise the 'theme tune' anywhere. The tune BBC uses is very effective as the background beat creates a sense of urgency and seriousness. It grabs the audiences attention straight away and adds to trying to create a serious tone. The crashing noise and the beeping work really well together introducing a programme containing serious issues.















Here is the theme tune BBC news uses

Although the title sequence is simple the theme tune does all the talking. The beeps sound like what you would hear in a hospital where the doctors and nurses become very serious when someones heart rate falls, making a beeping noise on the machine. It makes the stories which are to be addressed appear serious as tension is created during the sequence. However we want our title sequence to be eye catching and have images/videos of the stories to be addressed, giving the user extra information before the programme begins. I like how the title sequence stands out against a white background, with the bright red producing an alarming look grabbing the viewers attention.

Channel 4 News

Channel 4 News covers international news and good background reports on the current affairs.The channel is edited by Jim Gray; previous Deputy Editor of Newsnight. It is anchored by Jon Snow and is on air Monday to Friday from 19:00-19:55.

Channel 4 News has most recently won a record five Royal Television Society Television Awards in February 2006. One was TV Journalist of the Year for Jon Snow, another was the International News Award for Congo's Tin Soldiers. The channel also won News Coverage British Academy Television Award in 2004. Jon Snow also won the Richard Dimbleby British Academy Television Award in 2005 for outstanding contribution to the news world and current affairs.


The news channel also has a website which covers the stories addressed by the channel. I have not used the website before but I have watched the channel before. I will look at the website further on in the project when I begin to produce our website.

'Theme Tune'

Like Sky News and BBC News the 'theme tune' channel 4 uses is very distinctive. It captures the urgency of the topics which are about to be discussed. The tune is dramatic using high symbolic tones of a trumpet.
















Here is the theme tune Channel 4 News uses

After looking at the clip I did not like the way that we could hear the presenter talking but did not have a visual image of him. The cut away and voice over was effective but I think that there should have been a quick shot of the presenter to show his reaction and emotion to the story being addressed. Also I did not like the way how he was stood up in the studio, I feel he should have been sat down at a desk. I felt that it looked unprofessional and where he was standing awkwardly it took the focus away from the story. I did like how the camera gradually zoomed in as the story being addressed begins to unfold, however in the shot he is swaying which again looks unprofessional. From this clip I will adapt the use of cut aways to our design and the use of the paper for props as they create a professional look.

Inspirations

Before we begin to produce material for the brief we looked at different news programmes which inspired us. Looking at different news programmes will give us a range of ideas which we can adapt to the programme. There are a huge number of news channels all over the world each telling their own stories. The news programmes which we are going to look into more detail at are:

• BBC News

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• ITV News

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• Sky News

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• Channel 4 News

We chose to look at these programmes as they are the well known News programmes in the UK. As our news programme would be aimed at the same audience as these programmes it seemed a good idea to look into them.

The Brief

After looking at the huge range of choices we could do for our coursework from music videos, to computer games we chose this brief:

'An extract/package from a local TV news programme, lasting approximately five minutes, together with two of the following:

- two hyperlinked pages from the programme's website;

- a generic radio trailer for the programme;

- a short title sequence for the programme.'

From the three choices we decided to produce a website for our news programme and a short title sequence.

Start of the project

Once the coursework had been introduced to us everyone decided on the groups which they would work in. Me and Lauren decided that we would work together on the A2 media coursework.

We looked at all the briefs and decided that we would produce a news programme. This was decided as we both like keeping up to date with the latest news stories.

As we both watch the news regularly it provided us with good knowledge of the features and content which we would use in our programme. To decide exactly what we would include in our news programme we began our initial research.