Broadcast News Production course guide book
Course Title Broadcast News Production
Course Code JoCo4082
Module Name Broadcast Journalism
Lecturer Felmeta Mahammed
Cr Hr 4
The Credit in CP 7
Weekly ECTS of Course Element Lecture Tutorial lab Home CP
Study
2 2 6 7
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Course Description
This course is designed to introduce you with the basic skills and knowledge necessary to
research news stories; select and edit audio and video materials; write, edit and produce radio
and television news stories and newscasts for broadcast. This course deals with Broadcast news
production process and the role of different responsible bodies in this process before being on air
and when it is on air. It will start with explaining the unique features of radio and television news
by comparing and contrasting this medium with other types of media. Then the overview of job
titles and duties of radio and TV production personnel in broadcast newsroom structure will be
discussed. This course is also deals with Sound, Picture and script components with a focus on
Radio and TV news formats and scripting with graphics, titles and anchor. Writing and scripting;
writing to tape( scene-by- scene, as a flow) and scripting with anchor voice over, sound bites and
lead- ins to reports camera and stand ups. In general, the course is aimed to back up students with
theoretical and practical explanations of broadcast news production that will help the future
journalists to be able to produce quality Radio and TV news.
To know the Radio and television news production process, repeated practical exercises are
crucial. To provide for such active engagement, the course will be conducted in a student-
centered approach and sometimes with lecture fashion. To do this, each student should come to
class having studied and reflected on the readings for the day and any other assignments called
for in order that conversation and activities may unfold in directions that grow out of interactions
with the text and each other. This dialogic focus is intended to help relate theoretical concepts
and principles with actual practices and situations.
Course objective
At the end of the course students will be expected to:
➢ Describe the nature of radio news and its characteristics
➢ List the basic principles
➢ Be able to research, record, edit and present short radio news copy
➢ Be able to manage radio news studio.
➢ Describe the nature of TV news
➢ List the basic principles of writing for TV
➢ Write short TV news
➢ Differentiate the roles personnel in TV news room
CONTENTS
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF CONTENTS/ TOPICS AND READINGS
DATE, TOPICS and READINGS/ASSIGNMENTS
Chapter one (Week one): Broadcast news: Introduction
1.1 Producing news for Radio
- What is news
- Characteristics of radio news
- Principles of writing for the ear
- Types of radio news leads
- Radio news sources
- Forms: format ( bulletin, headlines, news program, copy only, with audio clips, viocers,
wraps, live cross, two way live and ‘ as live’)
- Style: related to audience; public service; commercial; community; small scale local;
regional; internet; satellite and cable.
- Audiences: differentiation by geography and segmentation.
Reading:
Huchinson (1996), pp. 252-263; Stovail (1990), pp. 137-152; Maenseneer (1989), pp.27-29, 38-
43, 140-155.
a. Producing news for Television
• What are the natures of the medium ‘Television’ in comparison with other media?
• What is Television news?
• Discussing the characteristics of Television news
• Who are Television news sources?
• What are TV leads and how to write them?
• Discussing the principles of writing for audio-visual
TASK—
- Pick one news story from a newspaper and write it in Television news format.
- Come up with story idea which preferably takes place in campus that can be developed to
Television news.
- Class assignment: dig out possible sources for the stories provided by the instructor.
- Reflection of reading assignments.
Readings:
-Broadcast journalism- ( page 18-94)
-ENG Television News- (Page 173-186)
Chapter two (Week 2 &3): Broadcast media news coverage
2.1 Radio news coverage components
- Story coverage ( treatment)
- News flash( bulletin)
- Headline
- Voicer or voice report
- Teaser or Taster
- Voice report from the scene
- News clip
- Interview
In this chapter students will be able to write, edit and present appropriate news material for a
particular format.
➢ Copy for different purposes (bulletins, headlines, flash); clear writing and sentence
structure; simple accessible language; suitability of language to target audience;
development of story in cue;
➢ Using resources: maintenance of news dairy , compilation and use of call lists, news
release; phone callers ; tip-offs; news wire and agencies; contact; blog; eye witness
report; firsthand knowledge; secondary research sources eg. Internet , CD ROMS,
Journal , publications.
➢ Identifying and handling stories: relevance to audience (international, national and local
angles) types ( triumph , tragedy, human interest, VIPS) verifying information , depth of
coverage.
➢ Recording: health and safety; studio and portable equipment eg. Solid state or MP3
recorder, digital audio tape (DAT), CD, MINI DISC, use of remorse sources (location
telephone, atmosphere, actuality( vox pops, interviews, archive materials )
➢ Presentation: popular style; series style; conformity to editorial policy, appropriate
duration, standard out cues; for own outlets. Eg. Class room play back, campus radio,
community radio, hospital radio etc.
Reading:
Huchinson (1996),pp. 251-263and stovail (1990),pp. 137- 152; McLeish(2005),pp. 80-101;
Chantler and Stewart (2003),pp. 82-102, 125-139, 103; Maenseneer (1989)pp. 94-105, 110-117
2.2 Components in television news package
• Story treatment to come up with a good TV news story
• Writing with words, pictures and sound: the criteria for writing Television news
headlines and how to write them
• What is script? And how to write script for a television news story?
• What is voiceover report?
• What is package and its specific components?
Readings-Broadcast journalism (page 343-352)
Writing Broadcast News ( Page 51-96)
TASK—develop your own television news story by writing script and headlines.
- Class demonstration on voice reporting.
- Reflection of reading assignments.
Chapter three (Week 4): Broadcast news reading mechanism
3.1 Radio news reading mechanics
- Presenting and reading the news
- Towards more lively news
- Actuality ( insert)
- Voice report
- Running order
- The approach of the newscaster
- Quality of newscaster
- News anchor and presenter in radio
- Presenter style
- Microphone technique
- Speed, breathing, projection , emphasis, pitch noise, voice, local stress, inflectio
Reading:
Huchinson (1996),pp. 260-263 and cremer,et al., ( 1996),pp.54-62; Chantler & Stewart
(2003),pp. 82-100; Maenseneer (1989),pp. 120-155
3.2 Television news reading mechanics
You will examine specialized television performance and how to effectively read on the air.
Under this portion of the course, you will cover
• How to present and read news
• What are the good qualities of newscaster
• Roles of news anchors , and presenters on TV
Readings:- Broadcast Journalism (page 164-190)
Chapter four (Week 5: Broadcast media news room
4.1 Radio news studio and its structure
- Studio layout
- On air studio
- Remote studio
- Radio car
- Portable telephone
- Sound library
- News production room
- Technician, editor and manager
- The news director
- Organizing the news cast
- Managing the news network
- News desk management
Reading: McLeish (2005),pp. 18-38.
4.2 Television studio and its structures
This part of the course is more of practical. So your strong stimulation to spend much time in
labs will help you a lot. There will be a need to form group that can stay together during lab and
field practices.
• What are on air studio and portable studio and what should a journalist do before and
during in studios?
• The Basics of camera shots( class demonstrations on practical bases)
• The Editing software practice (A visit to the studios of the Ethiopian Broadcasting
corporation and FANA broadcasting corporation were planned.)
Readings-
- ENG Television News
- Broadcast Journalism ( page 274- 282)
- Television Production Handbook (chapter one)
- Film Production Techniques (chapter one)
TASK- you will take a shot and present your sequence to the class.
- Performances of using different shooting techniques will be evaluated.
Chapter five (week 7): Copy Editing and Producing
5.1 Necessity of Copy Editing
5.2 The Copy Editor’s Job
5.3 Broadcast Copy Editing
5.4 Producing the Newscast – the Producer’s Job
5.5 Organizing the Newscast
Readings:
Hewitt, J. (1995). Air Words – Writing for Broadcast News. (2nd ed.). London: Mayfield
Publishing Company.
Odetoyinbo, A. (2001). Basic Broadcast Production Techniques. Abeokuta: Nicolak Ventures.
Stephens, M. (1986). Broadcast News. Forth Worth: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.
Westley, B. (1953). News Editing. Cambridge Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company.
White, T. (1996). Broadcast News Writing, Reporting, and Producing. (2nd ed.). Boston: Focal
Press.
Zettl, H. (2000). Television Production Handbook. Australia: Wadsworth Thomson Learning.
Chapter six (Week 8) : Broadcast news Legalities and Ethics
- Libel
Libel defence
Different kinds of libel
- Contempt
- Defamation
- Court reporting
- Truth, objectivity and fairness
- Accuracy
- Privacy
Reading:
McLeish ( 2005),pp. 53-78; chnatler and stewart (2003),pp. 171-187; Merril (1997),pp. 105-127
(Week 8)
- Defence session of the proposed news story
- Mid-term exam
Mode of delivery
The course is designed to be delivered with a mixture of lecture, studio laboratory and field
works. Intensive lectures and class room discussions will be held for the theoretical part of the
course. The role of lecture and discussion is aimed at helping the students understand the
theoretical concepts necessary at each stage for preparing and presenting both radio and
television news production. In the laboratory session, you are expected to handle all your
assignment on a team basis as the nature of the medium entails. Appropriate time schedule will
be arranged that can easily inform you when and how your field and lab work will be
undertaken. You will have sample news stories discussed in the class room to use it as guide for
your practical work. In the process you will produce 45 -60 seconds both audio and audio-visual
news in groups.
Assessment methods
Your grade will be calculated out of your news report that you will work in groups, assignments
and examinations. The exams and quizes focus on the theoretical and classroom lectures and
readings. Your news report will be evaluated for the following criteria among others:
1. The quality of the story idea. How clear is the storyline?
How original is it?
2. How well is the story structured? How convincing is the opening and how logical is the
narrative?
3. How well is the script written? How well do the words match the pictures?
4. How well thought out are the edited sequences? Are there enough sounds?
5. The quality of the picture. How appropriate are the shots?
In general you will be evaluated based on the following criteria.
Practical News Projects ....................................................................(100%)
Theoretical ........................................................................................ (100%)
For the theoretical part:
Attendance and Participation.................................................................................... (10%)
Assignment ................................................................................................................ (15%)
Mid-term Test............................................................................................................. (15%)
Final Examination ..................................................................................................... (40%)
Final Project Script. ....................................................................................................( 20%)
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READINGS
McLeish ,Robert, (2005). Radio Production, 5th Ed.
Chantler, P. & Stewart , P. (2003)Basic Radio Journalism
Maeseneer, DE. Paul (1989) Here is the News: Radio News Manual. Asian books [Link]., New
Delhi
Huchison,F. (1996) Writing for Mass Communication. 2nd Ed.
Stovail, JG. ( 1990). Writing for Mass Media. 2nd Ed. Printence hall NJ
Bibliography
Boyed Andrew(2005)- Introduction to Broadcast News Writing
Boyed Andrew (2001)Broadcast Journalism
Calliy Udofia (ed) Hand book for African Journalist( by 15 leaser in African Journalism) 2nd Ed.
Lanson , G & Michel, S. ( 1994) Writing and Reporting the news. 2nd ED.
Rich , C. ( 2003). Writing and Reporting News: a coaching 4th Ed.
Boyd, A.(2001) Broadcast Journalism: Techniques of Radio and Television News, 5th ed. Focal
Press, Oxford.
Cremer, F. [Link], (1996) ENG Television News, 3rd ed: McGraw-Hill, USA.
Lanson, Geraid and Mitchell Stephens (1994) Writing and Reporting the News, 2nd ed. Oxford
University Press.
Mamer, B. (2009). Film Production Technique: Creating the Accomplished Image. 5th ED.
WadsWorth.
Zettl, H (2000). Television Production Handbok. 7th Ed.
Boyd, A. (2001) Broadcast Journalism: Techniques of Radio and Television News (5th edn), Oxford:
Focal Press.
Walter M cDowell (2006). Broadcast Television: A Complete Guide to the Industry, NewYork: Peter
Lang.
Mitchell Stephon Holt, (1980) Broadcast News - Radio Journalism, Rineheast Winston NY
White, T. (1996). Broadcast News Writing, Reporting and Production. (2nd ed.). Boston: Focal Press.
Stephens, M. (1986). Broadcast News. Fort Worth: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.
Policy
Attendance is mandatory. Attendance will be taken daily. If a student is absent, it is his/her
responsibility to contact the instructor prior to and be up-to-date for the next class. In the event of
serious illness, continuous absence, misbehavior or a family emergency, the instructor abides
himself to the University laws and regulations.
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