TV Newsday 9 February 2010, Convergence Week

During the convergence weeks, which consisted of working in a TV newsgroup, radio newsgroup and online, I found that the best learning experience happened to me on this the non-assessed as-assessed week. Weather it is because of the heightened pressure or the group I was in, I felt most productive and involved as much as any other team member.

So as in theatre for example, the team work in TV is crucial for producing a news bulletin that meets all the basic requirements, to begin with. This group lead by Roscoe Young as the editor, was efficient and pleasant to work in, as everyone put in their effort without imposing it on others. I believe this equality in approaching your task, and the absence of egos makes working in a group an enjoyable experience which is then hermetically reflected on the final project – in this case news bulletin.

As it is very limited in its duration, a TV news bulletin should be precise, accurate and straight to the point, without excess, elaborative text. The presenter’s introduction can be used to open the subject with the information which will then not be repeated in the TV package that follows.

As the viewer receives the audio and visual information in the TV package, in again, a limited duration, I found that it is important to use the few minutes available as best as possible, by having an informative and concise but articulate cue linked with the further comments by the person being interviewed, so that the information flows passing the “cue” on from one shot to another. In other words, there is no place for repetition, and one idea should be followed through given both sides of a story, if possible.

Back to the newsroom, my story for that day’s news bulletin was to find a local angle on the French passing the law about the face veil ban. I interviewed a member of Bournemouth Islamic community centre, a woman who also teaches Islam and is an English person converted to Islam. I have previously contacted the chairman of the Islamic Society and was given a written statement by their spokesman. It was quite a controversial and sensationalist statement, so I tried my best to have them allow me to capture this on camera. They were very helpful, though I wasn’t able to film the man whose written statement I got, as he had previous problems with his identity being exposed, but the Islamic turned woman was more than happy to speak for the camera.


(a shorter version is included in the news bulletin)

It was, I thought, a good and articulate statement, argued with her good background knowledge. However, l later realized that it would have been more news worthy have I found a woman who has been brought up from her childhood in traditional Islamic conditions. I found the two English converts to be perhaps a little too passionate and therefore lacked a standpoint which would more accurately represent the one of the Islamic women.

Back in the studio, I was assigned to run the Tricaster. It was my first time, and Guy was very patient. I chose the layout which seemed most “real TV”-like and was shown how to use it. However, as we began as live, the program crashed because someone from the previous group has changed the settings, as explained by Guy. So we ended up having a very basic background which was the actual footage of our packages, and I had to concentrate on synchronizing when the presenter should be on screen, and when she should disappear into the background of the footage. All in all it looked like an 80’s kids channel news bulletin, but we all had a good sense of humour in this situation.

In TV the unexpected errors are always present waiting to appear, and one should be alert and quick thinking, as well as able to let go of one idea and let it shape shift into the best possible option within the two seconds available for decision making.

Fortunately, or it had nothing to do with fortune, but good team work, we were in the studio on time and I realize the grave importance this accuracy contributes when producing TV. It is LIVE that makes all the difference as with any other media, and there is no room for improvisation – only for a quick change in a course of direction that will stay on the general idea, but pull one out the problem (or at least make it seem less obvious for the viewers).

Our presenter Rubina Dewan was very professional and impartial to the information she was reading, yet charming and engaged.