Points to include:
- Gatekeepers
- News values – which is this an example of? who thought them up? why do they exist?
- Infotainment debate
- PSB remit – Lord Reith’s memo includes: to educate, inform, impartially and lead public taste
- New Communications Bill
- Is celebrity really news at all?
- Language includes how the celebrity is referred to, in what terms, names or nicknames, informality etc.
- Time in bulletin allowed / devoted
- Different networks and different ethos, priorities etc. terrestrial vs. satellite…
- Audience needs/ ratings / market factors / demographics
- Attitude of broadcasting network or presenter
- Status given to celebrity items
- Are they treated impartially? (camera lingers over emotionally charged scenes e.g. Paula Radcliffe’s tears dropping out of the Athens marathon)
- ‘Dumbing down’ is this an example of?
- Moral values and the undermining of society by the lack of condemnation of bad behaviour, in fact what may seem positive encouragement or at least glee shown by the broadcast.
- Sleaze – our seeming preference for reportage of ‘bad’ things
- News should be a cultural reinforcement
- Choice means many channels, many different styles of bulletins, also programmes from ‘Newsnight’ to ‘Good Morning Britain’
- Interactivity and what part does it play?
Examples which could be drawn on but you need to know what channel, what time, how much time, when:
- Charles and Camilla
- Di and Dodi
- Michael Jackson
- Posh and Becks
- Clinton and Lewinsky
- Blunkett and
- OJ Simpson