RESEARCH 21 - Leveson Inquiry

LEVESON INQUIRY

Here is the quick chat with Ann about what she thought about the Leveson Inquiry.

RESEARCH 20 - The role of a news reporter

RESEARCH 19 - Journalism and the freedom of speech

JOURNALISM AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH

In journalism they believe that they should have the right to hold your own    opinions and to express them freely without government interference.

This includes the right to express your views aloud or through:

• Published articles, books or leaflets
• Television or radio broadcasting
• Works of art
• Communication of the internet   

For instance the right to the freedom of expression is vital for journalists and the other people working in the media. The journalists must be unrestricted to criticize the state without fear of prosecution; however, the media does have to bear in mind other human rights, such as a person's right to respect for their private life, as this is something, which is important to other people as they cannot invade other people’s privacy. The law also protects their freedom to receive information from other people for example, being part of an audience or reading a magazine. .

 Here are some of the restrictions they have to face:

Although journalists have the freedom to express your views and beliefs, they have a duty to behave responsibly and to respect other people’s rights. Public authorities may restrict their right to the freedom of expression if they can show that their action has a proper basis in law, and is necessary and ‘proportionate’ in order to:

• Protect national security, territorial integrity or public safety.
• Prevent disorder or crime.
• Protect health or morals.
• Protect the rights and reputations of other people.
• Prevent the disclosure of information received in confidence.
• Maintain the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.

It may be permissible to restrict your freedom of expression if, for example, you express views that encourage racial or religious hatred.

However, the relevant public authority must show that the restriction is ‘proportionate’, in other words the restriction must be no more than is necessary, appropriate and not excessive in the circumstances.

Overall, I believe that although journalists should have their restrictions when going out to find their sources for news, I also believe that it is right for them to have their personal opinion about the issue, because they shouldn’t be seen as having to be treated differently. Although I do agree with some of the restrictions given to them, as it is beneficial for them also.

Sources:

 http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/human-rights/what-are-human-rights/the-human-r http://www.newspapersoc.org.uk/press-freedomights-act/freedom-of-expression/

RESEARCH 18 - The job roles in a news room

THE JOB ROLES IN A NEWS ROOM

There are plenty of job roles in a news room that are all equally important to preparing for the types of news. The different individual jobs all make a big impact to the whole job, as they are all participate in the making.

Here are the 10 jobs that are carried out in the news room: 

1.    1.      CAMERA OPERATOR: The camera operator is responsible for filming the pictures needed for the programme. This can be from going out and filming something from outside and seeing whether it is newsworthy enough, or even in the studio when they are filming the presenters reading about the news.

2.   DIRECTOR: The director has a huge role as he/she ensures that the editorial and technical side of the programme comes together on air. They inform the other members of crew such as the camera operators and sound mixers about what they need to capture to make sure that the programme looks spot-on.

3.   EDITOR: The editor or output editor is responsible for the programme, which is extremely vital. They choose stories and decides which order they will be run in and where to locate each story.

4.   FLOOR MANAGER: Although, the floor manager doesn't sound important, it is! The floor manager has the overall responsibility of the safety of everyone in the studio. Sometimes the floor manager is effectively the “eyes and ears’ and the “hands and feet” of the director in the studio, which clearly shows its importance.

5.   PRESENTER: The presenter is the person who presents he TV or radio programme, and presents it all to the audience. They read the headlines and introduce other information from the different presenters. They also take part in live interviews that take place in outside broadcasts.

6.   PRODUCERS: The producer covers a lot of roles. For instance the producer can go from the person who writes the presenters script and ensures each story is right. It can also imply the person who is out and about gathering the stories, helping a reporter out to put out a package or do a live broadcast. Studio producers give instructions to the gallery and presenter while the programme is on air.

7.   REPORTER: The reporters are accountable for presenting their stories that they have collected on air, or writing them up on to the web. They handle interviews, create packages and do live reports. Also, senior reporters or those who specialize in a certain area are usually called correspondents.

8.   SOUND MIXER: The sound mixer uses the sound-mixing desk to identify and choose the different sources. These include microphones, videotapes and CD’s. They may also use ‘faders’ on the desk to make sounds louder (fade up) or quieter (fade down).

9.   VIDEO EDITOR: The video editor, who is also known, as simply just an editor is the person who cuts the pictures together. They work closely with the producers and reporters, making sure they link.

10. VISION MIXER: The vision mixer uses the vision making equipment to select pictures from a variety of sources. These include cameras, videotapes and graphics. The vision mixer use their equipment to edit their sources these include edits such as cutting, mixing, wiping between the sources, and depending on what the director desires.

 Overall, from looking at all these different roles, it has shown me how important and busy it is a newsroom and without one of them the whole job would break down, because everything is relevant and everyone is dependent for each other to do their job up to the best of standards.

Sources: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/15_08_11_job_roles.pdf

RESEARCH 17 - What Is News?

WHAT IS NEWS?

Well it’s never too late to learn about the definition of the different forms of news. So here you are! A Prezi video about ‘what is news’ which includes information about different types of news that link back to the people that it is appealing to. 



Sources:




 My own notes, youtube converter for the background song 'Baby I' by Ariana Grande, http://uk.ask.com/question/what-is-national-news

RESEARCH 16 - Radio on the internet

RADIO ON THE INTERNET

I’m sure everyone is dying to know about what radio on the internet is about, I mean clues in the name right! Well, I don’t want to keep you all in suspense, it is radio that is accessible on the internet. This includes other forms such as web radio, net radio, streaming radio, e-radio, online radio and webcasting (music streaming is also referred to webcasting). These are all produced via the internet.

Internet radio involves all different types of streaming media, and is usually something which is a continuous stream of audio, which cannot be paused or replayed during and after the actual cast, this is much like traditional broadcast media. Also internet radios are very worldwide and can be heard from anywhere as they don’t rely on the radio waves to transmit the news, but use are connected with the internet, which is why they are so international. This can also be the factor of the boost in ratings, because people who live in Japan, can hear the American radio station and vice versa, and it also allows the audience to have a chance to listen to the different types of radio if their own local radio station is not appealing enough to them. An internet radio talks about what a traditional broadcast would talk about such as the news, sports, music those kind of features, so that it again is appealing to their audience and has a variety of genres for the audience to listen too. Lucky us!

Let’s talk about an advantages of having these internet radio’s because personally I love them, I mean how else would I keep updated with all the talk shows about Chris Brown. Firstly, the good thing about radio on the internet is that its provides the world with choices, as we don’t need to be stuck at home being forced to listen to the radio, which doesn’t relate to you at all! But we can go on the internet and search up radios from one country to another, about anything that we went, touching on any topic that we desire, the world is our oyster!

Another advantage from the broadcasting side of things, is how easy it is to set up, and the money that people that own the internet radios can make. Although, it may seem very technical to make your on radio on the internet all you need is a couple of decent microphones, a computer and some worth material, this is what will get you started. There are tons of sites you can go on to make your own internet radio station in less than two hours and make it become sensational. However, you won’t be rolling in the cash too quickly, you have to start things slow, get your radio station popular and have a good audience as this is what starts to build this new internet sensation, and when it starts to get more developed, adverts can start to be used to promote other people. This is a very good way of starting earn more money, especially if people want to be part of the action, as the internet is a huge network and thousands of people are likely to see it.

On the other hand, although internet radios seem like the dream, they do have their disadvantages. One of the disadvantages link back to the amount of the choices that there are, as sometimes this can almost become time consuming. This is because although there a thousands of sites with so many different information, if you want to listen to something new and fresh and have a specific idea in mind, it may take quite some time to find, shifting through the billions of pages that have come up. So, not only will it waste your time if you do not find it, it will waste energy and battery life, when you could have been doing something a lot more productive.

Another unfortunate disadvantage that comes from radios on the internet and is something we have all definitely gone through, are internet crashes. The internet is not always the angel we hope it to be as sometimes it can just stop connecting within a click of your fingers and no matter how much you have paid to keep it updated and top quality, we will always face these outrages. Overall, internet radios are as reliable as the internet connection.

Overall, by looking at this information about radio on the internet, I think that there are more good aspects you can get out of it, as it is reaching out to so many different people, not only the little city we live in. I’ve learnt that when doing my own radio news, I’d like to also reach out to different countries to keep my views up, although I know how much hard work it’s going to be to manage, as it is something that needs to be constantly updated and kept top notch and different, otherwise I think they’ll be sticking to their own internet radios.

Sources:

http://www.ehow.com/list_6183319_advantages-disadvantages-internet-radio.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/internet-radio

RESEARCH 15 - MP3 vs. WAV

MP3 vs. WAV

To begin with let’s talk about the factors of an MP3 and WAV file and the properties it holds, and how it’s useful for its users and the differences it they hold.

WAV

1.     A WAV file is a standard audio, and hold things such as music, sound bit’s, noises and any other sound files you have stored in your computer.

2.    A WAV file also has a better sound quality as the files kept are usually for larger things, which allow it to sound more clearer and have be of better quality.

3.    WAV files have also developed different codes such as AAC and FLAC etc.

4.    Also, WAV files are big uncompressed files, this is what allows it to have higher quality because rather than it being small and squashed, and it is larger, and allows every noise to come through.

5.    A wav is usually a form that stories sound straight from microphones or analogue audios.

6.    WAV files are also usually used on computers, so it can store more audios.

Those were a couple facts about WAV files and its duties, here are some facts about MP3 files.

MP3

1.     An MP3 file is a digital music format for creating high quality sound files. Its main use is for people being able to buy and listen to music.

2.    MP3 files are a great attraction as it is able to compress files, which makes it easier and convenient for storing music.

3.    For MP3 files there are several types of programs that use MP3 files such as ITunes and Window’s Media Player etc.

4.    Also and MP3 file is easier for the public to access as more people can use it for their own benefit such as downloading music.

5.    MP3 files are around 11 times smaller than uncompressed music tracks. Which allows the MP3 files to store more audios.

6.    Although, because of the MP3 files being so compressed, sometimes this causes it to be not of the best quality.

Overall, from looking at the two types of files there a positives and negatives about both. For instance WAV files are of better quality but take up a lot of space and MP3 files use little space to store more, but this is what can sometimes ruin the quality. From this information, I think that although WAV files are important, I think that MP3 files speak out to more people, as it is more easily accessible and people use more MP3 files for things like music, which is made from other people. Also, by selling music, it allows big programmes like ITunes to make money, so they are part of the benefits of MP3 files. Also from this information, I have learnt how to use WAV and MP3 files when I do my own radio and making sound files. For example when I am using a microphone to interview people I will make sure to wav it so that the information is clear and precise and when I am adding different types of music in the background I will use MP3 files as they are a lot more simpler to use and I can use a range as there will be more space.

Sources:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/guides/about-mp3s

http://free-loops.com/what-is-a-wav-file.php

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081028231248AAb3VRC

RESEARCH 14 - Unidirectional Microphones

UNIDIRECTIONAL MICROPHONES

From this information I have learnt about the different kinds of microphones I could possibly use in my own radio station, when interviewing or just taking amongst my other partners. I also tell how important microphones are because of how they all apply for different situations for example if I am doing an outside broadcast I would know to use an unidirectional microphone because it will only capture my voice and not the outside winds or people in the background.

Sources:
http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/What-are-unidirectional-microphones
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-omnidirectional-microphones.htm#slideshow

RESEARCH 13 - Podcasts

PODCASTS

·          A podcast is usually your own radio, television or anything that includes talking and music.

·          It should be able to download on devices such as IPod's, IPhone's, computers and other internet related devices.

·         A podcast is also available via the internet to anyone.

·         It should be delivered automatically without having to always search it up and look for it again and again.

·         Podcasts should also always be viewable anytime after the release, which means that it shouldn't be there after a certain amount of time, and should allow the person to listen to it anytime they want, unless it is taken down for certain reasons.

·         Some of the things you need for a podcast which is audio related , such as music, is a microphone, an audio editing software such as audacity, a website or hosting service that you can upload your podcast on, like ITunes and an RSS feed.

Here is a youtube video of how to make your own podcast with audacity, and how to upload it:

From this I have learnt how to make my own podcast, especially with a popular software like audacity and will try to do my own podcasts for when I have my own radio station so that I can use it for little promo's when doing my radio casts, rather than videoing and this way I will have used different methods of technology to reach out to different audience members. Also from this research I have learnt what software's reach out to most of my audience, for example ITunes, this suggests when I make my own podcasts, where the best place is to upload it as it is very common.

Sources: http://www.yourdictionary.com/podcast & the youtube clip above.

RESEARCH 12 - How to write a lead story

HOW TO WRITE A LEAD STORY

The opening sentence or paragraph is a lot more important than it may seem, because this is what the audience see first and they need to be drawn in from the lead sentence and automatically be interested and know what the story will be about.  A good lead consists of giving readers important, brief and fascinating information, yet is still able to establish the tone of the article whether it is soft or hard news.

Here are a couple of tips when writing a lead story:

1.     The Five W’s and H: Before writing anything, decide the most important aspects of the story this includes – who, what, where, when, why and how. These are all important because they cover the most relevant pieces of the article. You can leave the less important features until the next few lines.

2.    Conflict: Good stories have conflict, therefore so should leads, because everyone is always interested in struggles and the resolutions of them.

3.    Specifically: Try to be as specific as possible in your lead, otherwise it will not be as interesting and informative as you want it to be to attract readers.

4.    Brevity: Readers want to know how the story links to them and why it should matter to them. Therefore they do not want to be kept waiting so the lead should be kept abrupt and consist of relevant information. A lead is usually 1 or 2 sentences, they should be 25-30 words and rarely ever be 40 because leads are meant to be quick and snappy.

5.    Active Sentences: Strong verbs will allow your lead to be lively and exciting, which should attract and wow the audience. Although, sometimes using these could leave out important information like the person or what caused the action, so you should be careful when choosing vocabulary because it should refer to the article AND still be interesting.

6.    Audience and Context: Always make sure how much your readers already know about the story. This is because now people are more quickly updated by what is happening there and then, so if your story is about what happened yesterday, you should use the information from then but still have new evidence for the audience to know more about what has happened rather than repeating yesterday’s news.

7.    Honesty: A lead can sometimes come across as a promise to your readers, as they are expected to know all about the story and don’t want any false information. So you must always be able to deliver what you have promised in your lead.

Here are some things you should avoid:

1.     Flowery language: Many writers begin with too many adjectives and overusing the verbs so they miss out on writing about what the article is actually about and skip important information. Therefore you should always concentrate on using strong verbs and nouns, so it still has a great impact and focuses on the story.

2.    Unnecessary words or phrases: Avoid using words that aren’t needed in the lead, cut to the chase of it all and get straight to the point of the story, otherwise it will waste space and not be significant.

3.    Formulaic leads: Make sure you lead is genuine and isn’t mechanical, because although stories are written on a deadline, try to resist writing the typical sort of headline because even though the audience want information they still want to be entertained by it.

4.    Don’t use the word ‘IT’: Most editors disapprove leads that start with the word ‘it’ because it is not very precise and doesn’t start with a clear view of what the article will be about, which is the most important factor.

Here are a few examples of some leads:

1.     The summary lead: This is perhaps one of the most traditional lead in news writing. It is straight to the point and factual and gives the reader a quick summary about the story in as many little words as possible, so that it doesn’t give everything away. It also covers the 5 W’s and H in this lead.

2.    Short sentence lead: This is when the lead consists of one word or phrase that acts as a teaser for the whole article

3.    Amazing fact lead: This is when the lead begins with a fact about something which is weird and interesting, because it attracts the readers into wanting to know more about what the fact is about and how they found out about it.

Overall, there are many different types of leads that go with different types of articles, the list goes on! The lead is very important because it allows the audience to know what the specific article is about and how it relates to them, which is why the lead makes such an impact because it can either be seriously good or terribly bad.

Sources:
http://cubreporters.org/leads.html
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/735/05/

RESEARCH 11 - History of the radio

THE HISTORY OF RADIO from rohimab