EMCO: The Construction of a News Item

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The Construction of a News Item

A television news programme item is constructed primarily in a similar way to spoken (radio) or printed (newspaper) news: the most important part comes at the beginning, less vital or striking information follows. Ideally, the so-called ‘wh-questions’ provide the structure for the information in a news programme:

Who?

This question is usually answered as part of the introduction and tells the viewer about whom the item of news is going to be. In most cases it will be about prominent figures or celebrities, but it could also be about groups of people (employed/unemployed, children) and their connection to a particular event. This generally produces the so-called lead sentence, the opening sentence which should present the protagonists both fully and succinctly.

What?

Having named the protagonists, the actual events are described, whatever is special and new is brought to the forefront.

When?

Giving the time (this morning, this afternoon, there will be…) allows the viewer to assume that s/he has some share in these up-to-the-minute news items. Being involved in the news reports in this way satisfies to a large extent the viewers’ curiosity.

Where?

Provided with the information on the whereabouts of an event or activity allows the viewer to decide if it affects him or her “directly” or if it is something that s/he is aware of as happening far way. The closer to home the event takes place, the more attentively the viewer will follow it.

How?

Answering the question “how?” illuminates the sequence of events and allows the viewer to understand more fully. It is not always possible to provide such detailed facts or findings (initial reporting of an accident, for example).

Why?

The reasons why this or that occurred can only be discovered through close investigation – and even then not always and often not with absolute certainty. Tackling the question “why?” undoubtedly helps the viewer to interpret what s/he has seen, though this can become problematic as the why-question is not always compatible with the principles of objectivity.

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