Tonight's
6 pm broadcast used a variety of images and video clips to help communicate
information to the audience. Some of those visuals included: photographs of
criminals, bullet points of important information, moving images displaying
weather forecasts, interviews with neighbors and family members effected by
different crimes or accidents reported on, a list of forecasted temperatures in
the local areas, etc. Some of the pictures and interviews could definitely
trigger certain emotions, which gives those news stories greater impact on the
audience. There were also some interviews which helped to provide more
information on the topics being presented. For example, an interview with the
woman who heads up a food donation program that provides children with backpacks
full of meals and snacks explained that they try very hard to help fill a need
rather than just “putting a band aid” on the problem. Her interview was a good
addition because it not only allowed viewers the chance to put a face with the
program but also to see what the backpacks
and meals looked like, along with how they are stuffed. Overall, the use
of different visual and audio aids provided a much greater impact than just reading
the story would.
Timeliness:
The timeliness of the broadcast was on point. There were a
large number of stories considering the half-hour block of time that the whole
broadcast filled. Each story was at least 30 seconds long and at most about a
minute. There were no transitions, which added to the quick timing. Overall,
the whole thing almost seemed disorienting because it was so quick-paced, but
it was like most news broadcasts, so it was probably good that it moved so
fast. The audio and visual aids mentioned above helped to speed things along.
Also, the reporters were able to quickly read the stories, which were written
in such a way as to provide only the bare bones facts that viewers would care
about. Along with the incredible speed of the stories, there was a large
variety in what was reported on. The broadcast was able to cover local news,
college sports, local racing news, weather, and a special on how to protect one’s
plants through the predicted frost of this coming weekend. If the reporters
were not reading such briefly written stories, or if the visual aids were not
included with the stories, there is no way the broadcast would have been able
to report so much.
Information, not Explanation
The broadcast did a
very good job on spending more time presenting information and less time
explaining it. An example of one story that explained more than most was a
special they did on how to keep plants alive during the upcoming predicted
frost. It included some background information on plants, along with a series
of tips supplied by a local gardening expert. The extra explanation made sense,
though, because it was a how-to piece rather than just a normal news story. An
example of when the reporters did not over-explain was when they were reporting
on a man who is under charges for possessing child pornography. This story is
an ongoing story that has been unfolding for the past few months and the
reporters simply stated the new facts that have been released, but they did not
waste time on giving lots of background information. There was enough to fill
in any viewers who are new to this story, but there was also enough new
information to satisfy those who are already aware of the background pieces of
information. Overall, the stories were brief, to-the-point, and just what was
happening. There was not any fluff or added, unnecessary information.
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