CLASSIFICATION OF PROGRAMS:NEWS, Language, Sensationalizing

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Introduction to Broadcasting MCM 411

LESSON 02

CLASSIFICATION OF PROGRAMS

Moving on from the previous talk in which we discussed various aspects of broadcasting in the

sense of target audience and timings of the programs, we will now see in detail as how

programs are classified for a full fledged broadcasting house.

Classification

Almost all the leading broadcasting houses have put their presentations in these distinct

categories namely;

News

Current Affairs

Programming

Today, we start understanding the first category; news and current affairs.

NEWS

Perhaps the hallmark of every broadcasting house is presentation of the news. Some are

specifically known for it like BBC or CNN. So much is the specialization of this category of

broadcast that some houses have now launched channels which round the clock deal with

news and news analysis only.

By definition a news is a piece of information which tells you about the recent, events taking

place any part of the world and which interests large number of people.

This updating of events is perhaps in the human instinct. But how a producer should deal with

this segment of broadcast is what we will be talking in detail.

Authenticity

First and foremost, the producer must check is the authenticity of the news, reliability of the

sources for any mistake here may result in a wide spread reactions.

Language

The news language is always the standard language with pronunciation and accent socially

accepted.

Story lines are simple and short which communicate more. Jarring sentences or complicated

structuring of lines will only ruin the whole exercise.

Taboos

There are certain things in every society mention of which is not encouraged, even if the facts

are correct. No society allows mentioning of sacrilegious matters or talking more on racism

even if some even to this effect has taken place. For the sake of not fanning such things, these

matters are put in the low key. In Pakistan, for instance, stories of rape, murder or other social

distortion are not given any undesired publicity by the broadcasting houses for the society

does not permit there mention too often. Knowing such sensitive matters is one of the primary

things a news producer must be aware of.

Introduction to Broadcasting MCM 411

Sensationalizing

A big no. News are written and read in a manner they do not cause undesired bent to, or from,

an event. They must be delivered in a standard way. In fact if there is a juicy news - about

show-biz, sports or politics, a good news producer will tend to subtract sensational area from it

so that it does not cause an immediate reaction. But it does not suggest by any means that the

interest in the news be shrinked. It is here, qualities of a news producer are exposed.

Voice Quality

People appearing in different broadcast possess different voice qualities - level, stress,

mincing words, some natural some un-natural, sharp, hoarse and with a range of accents. But

for news reading a person is required whose voice quality should be described as

STANDARD. It is difficult to define it, but the voice, which has high social acceptability, could

be categorized for it.

Reading Speed

It is suggested that a news reader must practice the script, and is very well trained, in keeping

a uniform speed for reading different news throughout the given bulletin. It will be a very

embarrassing situation for the producer, as well as listeners, to see a broadcaster reading

slowly in the beginning and then running fast through the later part of the newsreel. This also

suggests that news producer should put as much reading material on the script which must be

finished right in time of the bulletin with the uniform reading speed adopted by the news

reader. This is easy said then done. A lot of practice is required to keep matters in control.

Proximity

Selection of news is the area about which it is generally said that it is here that a news

editor/producer grows grey hair or loses hair faster than others. And truly said so. At a news

section of a broadcasting house you will encounter tens of thousands of news items pouring in

from all around the world - the volume of this material in a day is enough to keep you busy

reading it a whole week if not less. How to choose news which suit to my bulletin is a huge

question facing a news producer many times a day. And unfortunately you do not have ample

time to think, but take a decision as quickly as possible for the legs of the wall-clock are ticking

fast to keep you under pressure for a decision.

Let's see what helps him in news selection; proximity of events is perhaps the first guideline

for him... an event taking place in Pakistan, suppose a rail accident killing five people, is a

preferred story for him than killing of 30 people in some South American state by a cyclone. A

political statement from a top ranking official in Pakistan will feature prominently in a news

bulletin run by a Pakistani Broadcasting house, than a similar statement issued by an even

senior ranking official of another country, mattering little to people of Pakistan.

Then he knows the regional issues, developments in the Muslim world and the international

scenario which may interest people here. More he knows about it easier is the selection

process for him; though it is never easy in standard terms.

Specific NEWS

With specialization emphasized in all the well spread out areas, special news bulletins are

arranged for specific target listeners. Many a broadcasting house, and the Pakistan

Broadcasting Corporation included, news bulletins meant generally for a specific segment of

society are arranged; special news bulletin for farmers carrying mainly agricultural news, for

Introduction to Broadcasting MCM 411

business community or sporting news for the people who interests more in these areas. The

benefit of such arrangement is that more material could be put across here as compared to

general newsreels which would only touch briefly on these issues for want of time.

Breaking NEWS

These days we hear more of it. Well, this means stopping your routine transmission to

announce news of immediate interest and importance to most people. This must be done

prudently otherwise people will lose interest in the routine newscasts.

And before we end this discussion, we should not forget noticing news

bulletin in regional, or as they are called these days, national languages. This exercise is done

to accommodate and communicate things worth news to people in the remote towns,

especially speaking languages in a particular dialect and diction. Such bulletins usually carry

news of local contents.

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