Forum for former BBC staff

Forum for former BBC staff
http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl >> News and Comment >> News? Definition? http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1548854230 Message started by Administrator on Jan 30^th, 2019, 1:18pm

Title: News? Definition?
Post by Administrator on Jan 30^th, 2019, 1:18pm

This "Radio Today" item reports on the 'disagreement' between

in one corner

BBC Radio fivelive

and in the other corner

News UK

parent company of talkSPORT, talkRADIO Wireless... who commisioned a report by The University of Kent.

The report claims the BBC station falls below the OFCOM licence level of 75% "news & current affairs".

The Radio Today web-site expresses their opinion:-
"If you read the full report, you’ll quickly understand why there appears to be a discrepancy between the researchers’ numbers and those from the BBC. It all comes down to what constitutes ‘news and current affairs’ – and it seems the academics’ view differs significantly from the BBC’s definition."

Title: Re: News? Definition?
Post by Burstner55 on Jan 30^th, 2019, 8:35pm

By all common sense judgements the BBC has abandoned the old fashioned definition of news in favour of "anything that appeals to a younger, more diverse audience". But this isn't something that has happened only recently. Back in the late 70s the model of news and information based Local Radio was being eroded in favour of "song and dance intermixed with phone-in". In the station where I worked the vernacular of working mens club comedians was preferred to issue based discussion, even when those issues became cathartic, divisive argument with critical national implications, eg The Miners Strike. That downslide has continued unabated spreading from local radio to national radio networks and through to mainstream newsgathering and reportage (viz comedians on Question Time!). I recall being told that 40 seconds was "more than enough" to tell a story of strong local impact in a main bulletin voice-piece. Thankfully they don't say that to Laura!
That isn't to say that Local Radio is to blame for the dumbing down process. Far from it. It is another reflection of the times in which we live, where quality is pushed aside for quantity, where profit rules, where strong views are dismissed as unacceptable to minority opinion....and - as perfectly imaged in the current political impasse - there is no leadership of any note.

Title: Re: News? Definition?
Post by Knocking On on Jan 30^th, 2019, 9:12pm

I am increasingly coming to the conclusion that the main "News" bulletins on network tv consist of 10 minutes news then 10 minutes documentary mode.....(akin to Panorama of old).
Then sport.....

On the other hand we do have the News channel....but sometimes this rolling news shows that an edited news bulletin does serve well to cut out the repetition!

:-/

Title: Re: News? Definition?
Post by WG on Jan 31^st, 2019, 9:05am

You can always tell if a TV Newsroom is struggling to fill.
1) There are nearly always no specialist correspondents available at weekends/ public holidays etc
2) Items are repeated ( over and over) a 24 hr period
3) There is sudden major coverage of a news headline based on the publication of routine statistics or a report
4) Unusual weather
5) A scheduled hourly bulletin is pushed back because a televised sports event hasn't finished.
Want proof? --try watching 3 hours of BBCNews on a Sunday afternoon?