Updated: 05/04/2010

Part I

News and

Documentary Production

We now start three modules on news and documentary production. You will note that much of the information applies to more than just news and documentary work.

We also feature it because this area tends to be highly competitive and, consequently, uses the most innovative production techniques.

If there's a war, a disaster, or a major civil disturbance somewhere in the world, television news will be there. 

To be successful in today's highly competitive, 'one person does everything' news and information production world, you must know more than just how to run a camcorder.

Those who produce TV news and documentaries collectively hold the keys to much power and influence. For this reason we'll spend some time investigating this television genre.

Although the printed word can be powerful, as we've so often seen in the last 50 years, seeing images, especially on TV, makes happenings much more real.

At the same time, keep in mind that George Lucas, one of the most successful producers of all time, said, "It's very foolish to learn the how without the why."

In news and documentary work the "why"-- the context of what we are seeing -- is especially important.

It was during these times that another application of video moved into prominence in news -- the Internet.

The major news organizations now  assemble a wide range of live video, photo collections, animated displays, and interactive maps for Internet users.

Where the Public Gets

Its News and Information

Note on the chart on the right that about half of the general population now gets its much of its news and information from the Internet.

In mid-2008, Zogby International put the breakdown at 48% for the Internet and 29% for television. (This includes general information, not just news.)

For young people alone the Internet percentage is considerably higher.

However, things appear to be changing -- and rather rapidly.

In looking at just a single year (2007 to 2008), we can see from the chart below how the popularity of the various news media is shifting.

You will note that the mainstream news media including network and local TV news (in red below) slipped in popularity while the Internet and cable news (in green) have more than made up the difference.  

Sources: Arbitron, Audit Bureau of Circulations, comScore Media Metrix, Nielsen Media Research and stateofthemedia.org.

People that get their news from the Internet and cable news channels jumped an average of 30% in just this one year.

Although the number of broadcast TV viewers for news declined, with the advent of Internet outlets such as YouTube™ the public's exposure of video in general has more than made up the difference.

The Internet has also sparked another dimension in news and information: blogs.

The Internet

Internet Blogs

Blogs -- short for web logs -- are viewed by about 30% of Internet users and all major news organizations. The writers of blogs use their web sites to post news they uncover, photos and videos, personal reactions to events, rumors, and even their own personal diaries.

Blogs, can be highly opinionated and include unsubstantiated information.  Even so, the more valued ones are often the source of leads that the mainstream media develop into major stories. The following link will take you to a list of major blogs, including a comprehensive list of mainstream news sources. 

As part of their news coverage the mainstream media now regularly feature blogger reports and even interviews with the more respected bloggers. TV news often features sites such as YouTube™,    MySpace™ and FaceBook™.  More recently  Tweeter™ has caught hold and "tweets" have become an instant news and information source. (These things are covered here.)

As part of their news coverage the mainstream media now regularly feature blogger reports and even interviews with the more respected bloggers. TV news often features sites such as YouTube™ which commonly have videos.

Many blogs and Internet sites contain unsubstantiated rumors and just pure fiction. There are at least two Internet sites that attempt to debunk rumors and widely repeated half truths: Scopes.com and FactCheck.org.

Network and cable news channels encourage viewers to send in photos and video stories. Instructions for doing this are included on their sites.*

Internet News and Information Top Internet News Sites
(All ages, In Thousands of Users)

Keep in mind that Internet use is positively related to education and age — the younger and better educated tend to use the Internet more. This explains part of the discrepancy between the rankings listed above and the over-the-air TV ratings where FOX News typically leads..

It may also help explain the PBS Internet site having the most of visitors (mid-2008 statistics).

Top Five Broadcast Internet Sites
(All ages, in Percent of Total)

Young people represent the mainstream media consumers of the future, so it's also important to look at media use by this segment of society. A web site that has summary information on all of the news media is The State of the News Media.

With all this as a background, let's look at some of the tools for the production of news and information programming -- whether it's being produced for standard broadcasting, cable, or the Internet.

The Difference Between

ENG and EFP

Electronic newsgathering (ENG) is a part of electronic field production (EFP).

Although in all-digital operations we're starting to see the initials DNG used for digital newsgathering, we'll stick to "ENG" for this discussion.

Electronic Field Production (EFP) includes many other types of field productions, including commercials, music videos, on-location dramatic productions, and various types of sports coverage. EFP work generally provides the opportunity to insure maximum audio and video quality.

In ENG work the primary goal is to get the story. In 90% of news work there will be time to insure audio and video quality, which is what the news director and producer will expect.

But conditions are not always ideal in news work, and if compromises must be made they are made in audio and video quality, not in story content. 

The most-watched and celebrated television news story in history was shot with one low-resolution black-and-white video camera  --  not the quality of video that you would think would make it to every major TV network in the world.

The video was of  mankind's first steps on the moon.

Although the quality of the footage was poor, no TV news editor said to NASA, "You've got some interesting footage there, NASA, but we'll have to pass; the quality just doesn't meet our technical standards."

In democratic society news and documentaries also serve an important "watchdog" function. Not only do they tend to keep politicians and other officials honest, but they have also brought to light countless illegal activities. Once such things become public knowledge, corrective action often follows.

The Influence of Broadcast News

We can more fully appreciate the power and influence of TV news when we consider the lengths to which some people and nations go to control it.

As we have seen countless times, the news media are the first target for those who want to control the people of a country. South Africa and the Philippines are two examples that we've previously cited.

Although ▲censorship, is often justified as a way of protecting values or ideals, history has repeatedly shown that censorship leads to a suppression of ideas and often to political, military or religious control.

Today, there are many countries that censor, or at least try to censor, broadcast news, books, magazines, and the Internet. Although the stated justification is often to protect moral values, the list of censored materials sometimes includes the web pages of The New York Times, the Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times. You can draw your own conclusions about the real intent.

It might be assumed that things are different in the United States, since we have The First Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing free speech.  However, the United States has a long history of censorship attempts.  Over the years many books have been banned in the United States.

Even through broadcast news has problems with credibility, as the bearer of "bad tidings" TV news often gets complaints from people who at least unconsciously confuse the medium with the message. Thus, the messenger (TV news) is blamed for information that some viewers find distressing or that runs contrary to the beliefs they hold.

There is no doubt that most of TV news in the United States, especially in the big cities and at the network level, is ratings driven.

Thus, stories that will grab and hold an audience are favored over those that in the long run may be much more consequential.  Stories that are "visual" are favored over those that are static and more difficult to explain or understand.

A baby beauty contest or a dog show may win out over coverage of a city council meeting or an international trade conference. Dramatic footage of a spectacular fire will typically get more air time than a story of an international trade settlement that will affect millions of people.

Given the preferences of viewers who are constantly "voting" on program popularity with their TV remote controls, a news director (whose job largely depends on maximizing ratings and station profits) may have little choice but to appeal to popular tastes.

As media conglomeration spreads with more and more media outlets being owned by several huge corporations, news is emanating from fewer and fewer sources.

Even now it's alleged that corporate self-interest shapes decisions on what will and will not be covered.

At the same time, news is highly competitive and outlets that bypass or downplay certain stories because they may negatively impact advertising profits or corporate prestige may find that their credibility drops with viewers. This route is unwise, if for no other reason, because it will eventually impact news ratings and, subsequently, profits.

But, there is also this: A large percentage of the audience still gets most of their news from their favorite TV news station. If TV news bypasses certain stories because they may be unpopular or not easily understood, the viewers may never know. (How can you miss something if you don't know about it in the first place?)

Documentaries That Changed

Thinking and Sparked Action

A documentary is a factual production, one that generally incorporates interviews with the people involved with the subject and actual footage of what has taken place.

The dictionary would add, "from documents....expressing things as perceived without distortion of personal feelings, insertion of fictional matter, or interpretation."

The hard-hitting, hour-long documentaries, such as CBS's "Harvest of Shame," which won many awards and sparked social reform in the United States, have all but disappeared in mainstream commercial television.

They have lost favor because they produce low ratings and are expensive and time-consuming to produce. Plus, they often step on the toes of influential individuals and corporations, and that can upset network sponsors and even spark lawsuits.

In their place on the commercial networks are typically the softer, safer, human interest and crime story mini-documentaries featured in some of the popular news magazines.

PBS, which does some excellent documentaries, is an exception, as are some of the special interest cable and satellite channels. These sources represent an important means of getting a message across to a segment of the population that, according to ratings analyses, tends to be better educated and often part of the so-called "decision-making group."

Before we dismiss the audience for documentaries as limited, we need to remember that a surprising number of documentaries have had mainstream appeal -- even to the point making an impact in movie box offices.

Even before its release on DVD, the controversial Fahrenheit 9/11, generated revenue comparable to popular mainstream films.  An Inconvenient Truth, the 2006 film on another controversial issue, won the Oscar for best documentary in 2007. The film cost $1-million to produce and within a short time had generated $50-million in revenue.

For the fist time you can purchase a video camera at your local electronics store with the hope of producing a professional documentary -- or, as we've also seen in some cases, even an independent dramatic film that can end up in theaters.

It's not easy, of course, but people who know what they are doing are regularly doing it. Even a short segment on YouTube recently prompted a network documentary.
 

Handling Controversial Subject Matter

When handling controversial subject matter broadcast television is different from many of the feature films noted above because it must attempt to show balance.

Although broadcasters no longer have a legal "equal time" mandate from the FCC, the airwaves still belong to the public. With the exception of religious views, which can legally go unchallenged, the FCC expects networks and stations to present opposing views -- especially if they represent major factions.

At the same time, views on "bias" have changed in recent years. For example, a recent court cast against FOX alleging bias in their news was lost when, among other things, the court noted that, people can now turn to the Internet and other sources of news.  At the same time, the effect of incestuous amplification must be considered.

Even so, since "biased" is a word that you don't want to hear about your work (especially if you plan to broaden your employment opportunities), you don't want to promote your own view on an issue and not seek opposing views.

Let me speak personally for a moment. As a person who spent many years in news (newspapers, radio, and TV) I had to confront this issue very early in my career. I can recall becoming upset and emotionally involved in stories involving the unfair or illegal treatment of people. Around the newsroom I was known to start sentences with, "We've got to do something about...."

When a seasoned journalist saw what was happening (and that it was affecting my objectivity) he passed on some advice that helped me over the years.

He said,

Part of your responsibility as a newsperson is to bring out the various sides of an issue. This means you allow each side to state their views as strongly and convincing as they can. Not only is it the professional thing to do, but it will also add interest and controversy to your news stories.

If you keep an open mind right from the beginning, you may uncover facts that put issues in a whole new light. Again, speaking from many years of experience in news, I often found that my initial views on issues dramatically changed after I uncovered facts that were not commonly known.

In speaking to potential spokespersons for TV news pieces you need to explain the nature of the story. You also want to carefully document your attempts at finding opposing views. This will protect you both legally and professionally.

In news pieces you have to rely on the telephone to set up interviews. If key people refuse comment or refuse to be interviewed, some producers send these people registered letters, so that after the piece is aired they can't suddenly claim they were denied the opportunity to present their side.

At the same time, keep in mind that when an issue is being litigated an attorney might restrain them from commenting, a fact that should also be mentioned. In case you missed it in Module 55, the basic do's and don'ts of interviewing can be found here.

Some of the greatest problems in our society have occurred when the news media bowed to public, political or economic pressures and simply didn't do their job.  This is covered in When the Watchdog Goes to Sleep.

There is evidence that the Internet has significantly changed the reading habits of young people.  This had resulted in a disadvantage in taking reading tests and college entrance exams. At the same time, the abilities of "the Internet generation" give them some significant professional advantages. These issues are discussed in The Internet's Impact on Reading Habits and Abilities.

Related Feature Films

The films below relate to news and documentary work and can be rented from a source such as Netflix. They can either be viewed privately or, if time permits, used in a classroom. Note: They are R-rated for language.

• Nothing But the Truth, a dramatic and engrossing film based on a true story  telling how protecting confidential sources can sometimes have profound effects. It stars Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, and David Schwinner, among others.  Alan Alda's appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court is reason enough to rent this film. More information can be found in this blog piece.

• Welcome to Sarajevo. If you are interested in being a foreign correspondent, you should consider Welcome to Sarajevo, starring Stephen Dillane and Woody Harrelson. The film, which is based on a true story, makes use of actual news footage to very dramatically (and very graphically) show what war correspondents face.

• Live From Baghdad -- Action drama starring Michael Keaton showing how CNN got exclusive television coverage of first U.S. invasion of Baghdad. The film explores some of the ethical issues inherent in 24-hour journalism. Although fictional, it's dramatic and realistic, and based on actual events.

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There are many agencies that monitor news freedom and attempts to censor news.  One of these is, which specializes in student issues, is the Student Press Law Center in Arlington, Virginia.

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* Still photos and video can be transmitted directly from cell phones, or with the help of special software, videos can be edited before being uploaded. Software such as this facilitates uploading from a variety of different sources.

In case you missed it earlier, a moving account of how one person with a video camera affected people around the world is detailed in the tragic story of Neda and the Power of Video.

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