A taste of the good stuff!

Today's Sun covers the story of the young Liverpool footy fan who threw his inflatable beach ball onto the pitch during Saturday's game.
We had been discussing the legal actions that could be taken if this boy could be identified, as he could be the target of abuse etc. but luckily his face is pixelated in the picture featured in the 'Goals' pull-out.
However, I noticed shortly after, that on page 15 of the news the Sun have used the same picture without pixelating the boys face. We thought this was interesting and our lecturer suggested that we persue this by contacting the Guardian.
A fellow student phoned up the news desk and was given an email address, to which he emailed the information about the Sun to and a few hours later he had received a reply and a £30 tip fee.
Real-life journalism in action and all it took was a flick through the Sun.

TV Presenting and Editing session.

On Monday Angus ran a lecture outlining the Do's and the Don'ts of Television Reporting. We watched a few VTs created by a previous year in order to analyse their strengths and weaknesses.

Angus's notes covered:
Assignments:
- Always RESEARCH and plan ahead!
- Know the location
- Equipment check
- Permission (for location, filming, people etc.)
- PUNCTUALITY is KEY!
- Shoot asap.

Filming:
- Shoot in sequences, with different size shots, always maintaining continuity.
- Shoot cut-aways
- Remember the Rule of Thirds
- It's always better to shoot a little more than is needed BUT not too much!

!Don't start with a PTC  (remember it must ADD something to the piece and place yourself in the action.)
-  Use movement (e.g walk before you talk)

Interviews:
- Get cut-aways
- Sometimes it might be acceptable to use the infamous 'noddy'.
- Intro shots for interviewees

And now...
- Start writing up the story asap, whilst it's still fresh in your head!
- Check the pictures - availability etc.
- Organise any graphics that are needed.
And...Always KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE NEWS DESK!

The story...
- Write the intro/link first!
- The 5 Ws. (Who/What/Where/When/Why)
- Never repeat content from the Link.
- 1 idea per sentence, keeping it present tense when possible.

Stay FRESH! Use PLAIN English!

- Simplify numbers (e.g 74% is almost 3/4s) - graphics might help to explain figures.

Creating your package:
- Tell a story, in sequence
- Start with the best pictures
- Use captions - don't name the interviewee in piece
- Keep "Grabs" to approx 20secs max.(x3 Vox pops)
Alternate shots/angles - left/right by standing on the opposite side of the camera
The end of your piece should have meaning - never end with an interview/SOT/SOQ

And... DON'T end with..."what happens next remains to be seen..." (one of Angus's big NO NOs!)

How to survive a Press Conference...
1 - Get there EARLY!

2 - Find a good spot to set up your camera (always stay next to your camera for Q&As.

3 - There is no harm in asking if there will be any one-to-ones.

BEWARE...of the 'media scrum'

- Start rolling asap

- Prepare for 'the crush' - look out for one another; you're in a team!

Overall, the session was definitely a well-needed recap on EVERYTHING, but what happens in the next lecture remains to be seen...it had to be done!

Media Law part 2

I finally get to post blogs from Thursday after having lost access to the internet...a blogger's worst fear realised!
So...
Today’s  Thursday's Media Law session was mainly about Libel. Chris will be covering the Libel notes in more depth next week.


The case of Mary Whitehouse versus Gay News

ttp://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/11/newsid_2499000/2499721.stm 

The publication Gay News had committed blasphemy by publishing a poem that insinuated that ‘Jesus was a Homosexual’.


- It is defamation to call some ‘Gay’.

 Always AVOID innuendo!

1) You may not know whether it is true or not.

2) It suggests that you know that it is defamation.


Defence for defamation: 1) Justification (it is in fact true)

2) Comment (e.g joke, passing comment...etc.)

3) Qualified Privilege (Contempt of Court)... anything said in court cannot be used against them, or Parliament – it is Statute.


Robert Maxwell –

‘Is KGB Agent’ – defamation – defence would be qualified privilege.


Malice -
-Only Judges, Parliament etc.
-MPs have Absolute Privilege.
-As Journalists we should never report something that we know to be untrue.
-Even quoting someone can be malice because it is transferred to you.
-Always check that something someone has told you.
Skinner case – suspected Malice?