News presentation and evidentiality in TV news

1. News presentation and evidentialityin TV news

2. News presentation • twolevels/phasesofpresentation: • the programmeitself : the productof the institution • semiotic, visualaspects in opening sequenceofsignaturegraphics, logo, imagesofNPs, studio • verbal: headlines • the item (kernel) of the NP, the representativeof the institution

3. Fromtransmissiontocommunication • Evolutionof the news bulletinfrom a concernwith the transmissionof news/a message • to a concernwith the communicationof news/a message • newsreader - previousformats • readswith no distractionsfrom the message, thus: • lackof background • head and shoulders frame • onlyoneperson at a time • no extraneous or spontaneouscomments • no personalisation

4. Alsoconsistentwiththisconceptionof the news : • Irregular nomination of reporter in the field and his/her location • Lackofanobvious studio space/place

5. Spaceof the studio • Visual and verbalreferencestogeographical position • Signallediconically • Newsroomas background • Proximal and distaldeixis • Site ofenunciation • Discourseofheadlines

6. Mode ofaddress • Autocue, teleprompteralloweddirectrelationshipwith audience witheyecontact • Qualitativelydifferentfromdirectaddress • Notgrounded in reciprocity • Parasocial interaction • the frame isestablishedthroughdirectgreetings

7. The turn tocommunication • Developments in technology • Recognitionofpotential, self-awareness • Shiftingof focus fromtransmissiontocommunicationofmessage • PR firmsengagedto re-vamp institutionalimages • Communicativeskills and personal qualitiesofNPs and studio, whichrepresent the institution • More relaxed and informalpresentation, personalisation, consistentwithgrowingself-referentiality

8. BBC logo 1987

9. ITV Studio 1992-99

10. ITV studio 2005

11. ITV studio Trevor and Julie 2008

12. ITV studio 2010

13. Markerswhich indicate • The kindofevidenceonehasformakingfactualclaims • The indicationof the nature of the evidencefor a given statement • Knowledgeof the source and comittmentto the truthof a proposition

14. Choices • Attributionof a propositiontoanotherperson or voice is a kindofevidentiality – x says y • Witness – I wasthere, I saw y • Secondhand or hearsay – attributestootherwitnesses, the neighboursreportedhearing a • Sensory-I felt, itseemed, itlookedasif, itsoundedlike • Inferential , - clues and indications

15. Modality Useofsimplepresent or past: Useofpresentperfect: Useofmodals:

16. Visuals • Visuals can be live or archive (some archivefootageis a shorthandto illustrate institutional or social situations the viewerismeanttorecognise) • They can back up the verbal text basicallyshowingwhatisbeingsaid • they can juxtaposearchivefootage and they can addimpressionswithoutexplicitlymaking a point

17. Post production editing • The more a channeltakespainstoedit and compile, the more theyseemtobeevaluating the news asimportant (worthmaking the effort)

18. Voices • Some sources are given live camera footage or are interviewed on screen • Some are givenstillphotos • Some just theirwords on the screen • Some havetheirwordsparaphrased or summarisedby the NP • Youneedtothinkabout the effectsofsuchchoices

19. Interaction • Sometimeswehear the question and see the participantstogether • Sometimeswe just hear the answer • Answersusuallydepend on questions