TV News Structure & Organization: A Comprehensive Guide
ITEM 8: ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF TELEVISION NEWS
8.1. Integrated and Holistic Conception of Television News
Each television news story, conceived as an interpretation or report of facts and as a genre, has a specific organization and structure. It possesses a clear beginning and ending, starting with a presentation (intro) and concluding with the reporter’s presence. The structure is concise, precise, and provides the information needed to answer the five W’s.
Television news utilizes various audiovisual systems (images, sounds, and writing) to create a comprehensive narrative. Stories typically rely on moving images, a journalist’s voiceover, and statements from individuals providing information.
Due to the weaker nature of auditory memory compared to visual memory, impactful images are crucial in television news. The slower pace compared to radio allows for focused attention and concentration on the visuals.
8.1.1. Selection, Assessment, and Planning for the Contents of Each News Story
Selection
Television necessitates the organization and processing of facts within a short timeframe. Each news story typically lasts 1-2 minutes, demanding a rigorous selection of substantial information and the exclusion of secondary details. Each story can encompass various aspects, scenarios, stakeholders, and perspectives, requiring careful consideration for pluralism and balance.
Assessment
Assessment determines the appropriate treatment for each news item, including audiovisual collection, direct treatment, image display, or presentation through a talking head.
Planning
Planning encompasses the technical development and organization of the news story. The objective is to structure and explain the news with clarity, ensuring viewer comprehension.
8.1.2. Selection and Assessment of Images
After selecting the news story and its content, the next step is to choose the most representative images. The goal is to focus on the core of the action.
Image selection occurs in various situations:
- Selection of images from outside agencies: Journalists work with these images as they would with any other source, selecting and discarding as needed.
- Selection of own images at the scene: Capturing raw footage with sufficient variety and levels is crucial. Afterward, the most relevant images are selected.
- Selection of images from local and international correspondents, network stations, or exchanges with other channels.
- Selection of images from filmmakers, video surveillance of banks, hotels, supermarkets, etc.
- Selection of archival footage: Written sources are used to search for relevant archival footage.
8.1.3. Selection and Assessment of Sounds and Silences
This involves the relationship between the sounds of the events and sounds that can be artificially incorporated to enhance the images. The selection and assessment of the actual sounds of the events are particularly important as they are an integral element of reality.
Silence can also be a powerful tool, highlighting specific moments, doubts, or expectations.
8.2. Organization of the News Content
The selection and evaluation process takes place at the editing table. This is where the final story is constructed, combining oral and visual expression.
8.2.1. Organization by Speaking
The verbal structure of the news content is built through spoken language, often with a written basis. It is written for a viewer who listens.
The structure of the introduction begins with a brief statement of interest. The development organizes content in a priority order of importance, either chronologically or in reverse order of events.
Simple news stories are structured into two sections:
- Entradilla: The presenter speaks on screen without images.
- Development: Video and statements are presented.
More complex news stories have a wider structure:
- An introduction and development of two or three distinct aspects.
- For even more complex news, multiple introductions and development aspects can be used, unified by the first global introduction.
In addition to the overall structure, news stories have partial structures:
- Core sentences around a specific aspect.
- Partial phrases within these core sentences.
8.2.2. Organization as Visual Expression
The organization of visual expression follows two principles: sequencing of images and the use of fixed or moving shots.
Each change of shot entails a change of perspective and a link to the preceding and following content. Fixed shots allow the viewer to focus and delve into the reality presented.
The combination of different shots creates a multi-perspectival view of the information, offering variety and pluralism.
The organization of visual expression varies depending on the availability of recorded footage and the need to search for external images.
News without images: These are presented by the host, allowing the viewer to focus on the report and understand the core message. This is common for general interest news without available images.
News without real images but with visual treatments of post-production: These use graphics and visual aids to display scenes, data, figures, and interrelations.
News with images of the facts and voice of the presenter: These use actual footage to provide the substance of the news, with the presenter’s voiceover adding additional information.
8.2.3. Comprehensive Organization of Oral and Visual Expression
Each expressive component contributes to the overall narrative. The story of television news is global and inclusive, with both visual and oral narratives working together.
The organization of the news is determined by the management and articulation of the facts and expressive components: visual shots, sounds, and texts.
The relationship between images, speaking, and writing enhances clarity. The visual narrative often guides the story, providing context and setting the narrative flow.
While visual elements often dominate, the integration of both visual and oral components is crucial for effective storytelling. The audience relies on both to fully understand the information presented.