Basic

When is Channel 4 News on?

 Channel 4 is shown on Mondays- Fridays, 7pm duration is 55 minutes.  

 When was the programme first broadcast?

Channel 4 news was launched on the 2^nd of November in 1982.

 What awards has the programme won? 

Channel 4 news has won a lot of awards such as; International Emmy Awards for news, British Academy Television Award for best news coverage and British Academy Television for best news and current affairs journalism.

Presenters

Who are the presenters?

The main Channel 4 T.V news presenters are Jon Snow who has been there since 1989, Krishnan Guru- Murthy, Cathy Newman and Matt Frei.

What are the presenters wearing?  What does this communicate to the audience?

They are dressed very forma. The males are wearing suits however, Jon Snow wears loud type of ties and socks. The female presenters wear casual clothing such as trousers and a blouse. This will appeal to an older audience as there are old-ish presenters.

Why might a TV News programme use a variety of presenters?

They might do this to target a variety as well as a diverse audience. In addition it covers these types of presenters so, that there isn't unfairness.

How are other reporters or presenters used in the TV News programme?

Other reporters/ presenters are used in the news by being an investigator in a different location to feedback the updated news. Furthermore, they could be interviewers who interview the public on a specific news topic.

Is there a balance between male and female presenters? What about race/ethnicity? What effect might these aspects have on an audience?

There are 3 male presenters and 1 female presenter. There are 3 white presenters and 1 Asian presenter. This could make a variety of religions watch the news programme.

Opening sequence

What is the very first shot?

Usually, it is the main story that is shown first.

How does the opening sequence use graphics or images to grab the attention of the audience?

They show short clips of it will having a voice over while the clip is playing. It’s normally Jon Snow that does the voice over.

How is music used in the opening sequence?

The music played for the opening of channel 4 is fairly dramatic.

How is news stories introduced in the opening two minutes? Is there just one story or are the audience told what will be coming up later?

Stories are shown in short clips while there is a voice over while talking about what is coming up. This is to make the audience aware of what they will be educated by.

Studio mise-en-scene

What aspects of the studio can be seen by the audience? (Desk, cameras etc.)

The audience watching channel 4 news can see the whole set. By this I mean the desk and the screens as well as the cameras. This is because it is an establish shot that is rotated from the left to right.

Are the presenters standing or behind desks? Why do you think this is?

When it starts of as the opening, the audience can see both presenters (Jon Snow and Cathy Newman) standing either at the centre of the set or in front of their desk. This might be because they are trying to intrigue the audience by being approachable.

Are journalists or technology visible? What might these things suggest to the audience?

There is no technology visible except for the big screen behind the presenter and there are cuts to a journalist in Rome.

How does the studio use colour?

The studio uses the colour purple for people to recognise them.

How news stories are presented

How does the news programme typically present a story?

They show short clips of news they are going to present. It normally starts off with the main story and goes in chronological order.

What difference techniques does the programme use to present the news? (E.g. presenter to camera, reporter on location, interviews, graphics, images, video etc.)

It has reporters at different locations, interviews, graphics and videos. 

What types of news does the TV News programme typically cover? Give five examples (e.g. politics, international, sport etc.)

Politics, international, sports, economics and local

Audience

What is the target audience for this TV News programme? Research online – you should be able to find plenty of suggestions to the target audience if not the official target audience of the programme.

Viewers should be around 16-24 year old in the UK. Data-driven demographic targeted adverts have grown Channel 4’s digital revenues. Channel 4 to use data to inform creative and marketing processes

Why might someone choose to watch this TV News programme over others?

Though this is a news programme it isn't as formal as BBC new for instance. Therefore many young people such as, 20-25 can watch this programme for entertainment.

Is there an opportunity for the audience to get involved in the programme or comment?

There is an opportunity as you can follow them on twitter and tweet them your opinions.

Institution

Who owns runs or produces this TV News programme?

It’s owned by Channel 4 Television Corporation and its producers are the Independent Television News.

Does the institution own, run or produce any other TV News programmes, channels or newspapers?

ITV, Channel 5, UK Mobile phone operators, online outlets such as Youtube, MSN, Telegraph media group, Yahoo, film producers and researches worldwide and many more.

How does the programme fit the TV channel it is on?

The TV Channel fits as it  offers TV shows for 16-25 year olds and the news programme also has the same target audience.

What role does OFCOM have in making sure TV News is fair and accurate?

OFCOM doesn't let the programme have controversies and personal opinions as well as only one point of view.

TV News and New/Digital Media

Does the TV News programme have a dedicated website?

Yes

What does the website offer viewers?

The website offers information that isn't available on TV and goes more in depth with the stories.

Does the TV News programme have a Twitter feed?

Yes

How does the Twitter feed promote the programme?

The audience can interact with the live show and give their opinions on certain stories by using the twitter fee, so that they can get their point across.

Is there an opportunity for the audience to get involved in the programme or submit news stories?

The audience can find their pictures and certain interesting stories through research and send it to Channel 4 via e-mail. In addition they can share them with others on twitter.