Content Research
Content Research
For this project it was important to have a story which is news worthy. In order to chose a story which we thought were relevant I did some research into Galtung and Ruge’s News Values. Which are as follows:
Recency (Bell’s naming; ‘Frequency’ in Galtung and Ruge)
Superlatives (Bell’s naming; ‘Threshold’ in Galtung and Ruge)
Unambiguity
Relevance & Proximity (Bell’s naming; ‘Meaningfulness’ in Galtung and Ruge)
Consonance
Unexpectedness
- Reference to Elites (Combined Galtung and Ruge’s factors of Reference to Elite People and Reference to Elite Nations into one factor)
Personalisation
Negativity
These news values have changed multiple times throughout history but it is important to understand and consider these when deciding if a story has news value and if an audience would be interested (Meissner, 2015).
I also read an article by Mats Ekstrom who outlines three modes of communication in TV journalism. He argues that the communicative strtagies of TV journalism and the audience involvement, take place within three main modes of communication: information, storytelling and attraction. Each of these modes of communication are said to have different, basic communicative intentions for example:
Information – relevant enough, interesting enough and reliable enough
Storytelling – exciting or dramatic enough
Attraction – spectacular, shocking or extraordinary enough
Each one also has a different basis for audience involvement:
Information – thirst for knowledge
Storytelling – lust for adventure
Attraction – lust to gaze
(Ekström, 2000).
I think this was interesting to read as it helped my think about what story we wanted to tell and what mode of communication it falls into. I would conclude that the story we tell uses information as a mode of communication as the story is relevant and reliable and also fills and audiences thirst for knowledge which would help gain audience involvement. However, our second news package may fall into the attraction mode of communication as virtual reality is contemporary and modern but also a new development in technology making it spectacular. This would meet an audiences lust to gaze and the new technology is fascinating therefore, would gain audience involvement.
I also read the TV News chapter out of Glen Creebers ‘The Television Genre Book’ this was benefical as it helped me understand the news genre a bit better. In doing so I understood how to structure a news package with codes and conventions which are important to include within news packages to have ‘news value’ e.g.,
they contain good pictures
they contain short, dramatic occurrences which can be sensationalised
they have novelty value
they are open to simple reporting’s
they occur on a grand scale
they are negative or contain violence, crime, confrontation or catastrophe
they are either highly unexpected, or contain things which one would expect to happen
they have meaning and relevance to the audience
similar events are already in the news
they contain elite people or nations or if they allow an event to be reported in personal or human interest terms
(Creeber, 2015)
The chapter also highlights how the news is influential on public opinion in a range of specific and measurable ways. TV news is important in creating or reinforcing fairly simple associations that stick in people’s minds. Therefore, this highlighted the importance of being impartial and objective then planning our news package as the news has the ability to reproduce biased opinions easily.
Content research
BAFTA Green – Studio Sustainability Standard and Maidstone TV studios
albert
Since 2011, BAFTA has supported the film and television industry through albert, the leading screen industry organisation for environmental sustainability.
albert supports the global Film and TV industry to reduce the environmental impacts of production and to create content that supports a vision for a sustainable future.
The BAFTA-owned, industry-backed organisation offers online tools and training, events, practical guidance and thought leadership to all screen industry professionals to help them identify and act upon opportunities on and off screen which can lead to effective climate action.
The project has two aims:
1. Inspire; empower the industry to create content that supports a vision for a sustainable future
2. Restore: enable the industry to make positive contributions to the environment while actively eliminating waste and carbon emissions from production
(Albert, 2019)
A RICH HERITAGE OF MEMORABLE EVENTS
The Maidstone Studios site was chosen as the proposed studio site in 1979 and holds a rich heritage of memorable events. Since, its first transmission in the autumn of 1982, the Studios have produced thousands of hours of programming.
Current owners, Rowland Kinch & Geoff Miles purchased the site in 2002, and envisaged “a self-sustaining studio and media production centre, supporting creative development with local, national and worldwide potential in the new millennium and digital era” a goal they have more than accomplished (Maidstone Studios, n.d.).
Albert is an environmental organisation aiming to encourage the TV and film production industry to reduce waste and its carbon footprint.
Initially, Albert offered the industry a bespoke carbon calculator to measure the impact of its productions. The calculator allows a production to calculate its predicted carbon footprint from pre- to post-production. Productions can then go through the certification process, where they implement sustainable production techniques to reduce carbon emissions where possible, and offsets where it is not. Productions that successfully complete certification are awarded a 1, 2 or 3 star certificate and given use of the albert Sustainable Production logo on their credits.
Currently, all BBC, ITV, Channel 4, UKTV, Sky and Netflix productions in the UK are required to register their carbon footprint using the Albert carbon calculator.[4]
Besides its carbon calculator, Albert is involved in promoting sustainability in other areas of the screen industry.
Green Rider
In May 2019, Albert launched the 'Green Rider' project in association with Spotlight.[5] The Green Rider takes its name from the Inclusion Rider, as a way to champion climate action through an actor’s contract, calling for good environmental practices to be observed on set. For example, requesting plant-based catering, low energy lighting, or for the production company to agree to a ‘zero to landfill’ policy for its sets.[6]
Creative Energy
Albert started the Creative Energy project in 2017, which enables production companies to switch to a 100% renewable energy supplier. The supplier that Albert partners with is reviewed every year based on ‘green’ criteria. The current supplier is Good Energy.[7] Additionally, creative offsets is another upcoming Albert scheme which allows productions to offset/mitigate their environmental impact with carbon offsetting schemes.[8]
Screen New Deal
In September 2020, albert launched the 'Screen New Deal' report in association with the British Film Institute and Arup as a route-map to help film production transition to net zero emissions by 2050.[9] The report explores and gives examples of how more sustainable practices can be implemented across the film and TV industries.[10] (Wikipedia, 2021)
The studio sustainability standard is a voluntary standard for studio facilities that has been created by and for the industry.
By taking part, studios will be able to focus and pinpoint key areas within their facility, where they can make improvements to reduce their environmental impact over 6 key areas: Climate, Circularity, Nature, People, Management and Data.
Participating studios will receive a bespoke performance report as well as a grade which will allow them to benchmark their own progress as well as compare themselves to other studio facilities across the globe.
In 2020, albert – alongside BFI and Arup – released Screen New Deal which reported that the average tentpole film generates 2,840t of CO2e, the equivalent of 11 trips to the moon. Profound changes are clearly needed at all stages of a film’s lifecycle if we are serious about transitioning the industry to Net Zero. The Studio Sustainability Standard is one way that we can help our industry to focus, measure and report on the biggest impacts.
Brought to you by albert & Arup
The Studio Sustainability Standard is brought to you by albert with technical partner Arup.
albert is the leading screen industry organisation for environmental sustainability. Founded in 2011, albert supports the film and TV industry to reduce the environmental impact of production and to create content that supports a vision for a sustainable future.
Arup is the creative force at the heart of many of the world’s most prominent projects in the built environment and across industry. Working in more
than 140 countries, the firm’s designers, engineers, architects, planners, consultants and technical specialists work with clients on innovative projects of the highest quality and impact.
Why should you get involved?
Provides guidance for sustainability improvement
Measures and reports on emissions related to Scopes 1 and 2
It’s flexible, and enables different entry levels of performance
Takes into account different studio types and geographic locations
Encourages a holistic approach
to environmental and social issues
Helps studios to focus on their largest impacts and greatest opportunity to control/influence
Provides external recognition via an industry recognised logo (see below)
Overcomes challenges
in benchmarking performance data
Rewards good performance
Provides a clear pathway to align with Net Zero legislation and current reporting processes
An annual event for studios to meet and share best practice with peers
The Benefits
By taking part, individual studios will be able to build up a holistic picture of their impact across six key areas. albert and Arup will produce a bespoke report for each participating studio laying out key findings and allowing businesses to make targeted decisions that can have a positive impact on the facility and, more importantly, the environment.
Increasingly, productions are demanding more from studios when it comes to their sustainability credentials – they want to work with facilities which are equally invested in reducing their environmental impact. Legislation from governments around the world is already requiring businesses to reduce their impact – this studio standard is one way in which studio facilities can meaningfully address the issue and make the most impactful changes and communicate to their customers through their logo and score, the actions they are taking.
How it Works
Studios submit 12 months of data on a special formulated spreadsheet. The submission window is between May - July each year. In October each studio facility will receive a detailed breakdown of their score across the six
key areas and will be able to see at a glance, how their facility is performing in each area.
Understanding Your Score
Each studio facility assessed will receive a sustainability score. Credits are awarded for each of the six areas and are based on meeting the KPIs and data reporting requirements. The summation of these credits provides the overall sustainability score.
There are different bands, based on the grade achieved. As well as receiving an individual graded score, studios will be able to measure their progress against other anonymised studios of a similar size and age across the globe. Find out more here bit.ly/studiostandard
What do studios need to do to take part?
You will need 12 months of data, corresponding to the most recently closed calendar year/fiscal year, as applicable to your organisation. Register via studiostandard@bafta.org and we will send you a special template to fill in.
Climate
Drive the industry transition towards Net Zero carbon and to becoming more resilient to climate change
Circularity
Supporting the transition
to a circular economy through minimising waste and use
of materials
Nature
Protect and enhance green space and nature, improving resilience and providing connections for people and broader ecosystem networks
People
Support for the care and wellbeing of visitors, workers, local communities, as well as supply chains
Management
Ensure a robust and
coherent approach towards management, governance, and training to drive sustainability performance improvement
(Albert, 2022)
This is the research I completed for the first news package, I did this research to better understand the topic and for questions which I knew would derive the correct information out of the interviewee to tell the story we were aiming for. This research really helped me to understand the process studios would have to go through and the kinds of stuff which have been put in place to improve sustainability.
What does a producer do?
For this project I have taken on the role of the producer meaning I am at the practical and creative heart of the piece. I should be getting involved and spot the viability of the production, keeping the team grounded. I should be on of the overall decision makers and generate story ideas. I will work closely with the director and approve the production ideas, as well as spotting and solving potential problems throughout the whole production process. The producer role involves approving locations and crew for the production as well as delegating certain responsibilities. I will create a good working environment and communicate with all members of the team to make sure everything is running smoothly. The health and safety of all team members are the responsibility of the producer and so I should complete risk assessments to keep everyone safe (ScreenSkills).
According to screen skills this is how a producer should act and what their responsibilities are. I think this was important to look at again to refresh my memory and ensure I know exactly what I am supposed to do within my role. By doing so I am to keep the team enthusiastic and motivated while giving everyone equal opportunities.
References
Albert. (2019). About - Albert. [online] Available at: https://wearealbert.org/about/. Accessed 7th Oct 2022.
albert. (2022). Studio Sustainability Standard. [online] Available at: https://wearealbert.org/2022/03/08/studio-sustainability-standard/. Accessed 7th Oct 2022.
Creeber, G. (2015). The television genre book. London: Bfi.
Ekström, M. (2000). Information, storytelling and attractions: TV journalism in three modes of communication. Media, Culture & Society, 22(4), pp.465–492. doi:10.1177/016344300022004006.
Maidstone Studios. (n.d.). Our Heritage. [online] Available at: https://www.maidstonestudios.com/our-heritage/ [Accessed 7th Oct. 2022].
mediaknowall.com. (n.d.). GCSE Media Studies News Values. [online] Available at: http://mediaknowall.com/gcse/news/news.php?pageID=values. Accessed 7th Oct 2022.
Meissner, N. (2015). 50 years on: Galtung and Ruge’s news value factors revisited in online audience building for independent films. First Monday, 20(3). doi:10.5210/fm.v20i3.5850.
ScreenSkills. “Producer in the Film and TV Drama Industries.” ScreenSkills, www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/film-and-tv-drama/development-film-and-tv-drama-job-profiles/producer-film-and-tv-drama/ Accessed 28th October 2022.
Wikipedia. (2021). Albert Sustainable Production Certification. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Sustainable_Production_Certification.
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