TV News Research Articles

We Now Go Live: Digital Live-News Technologies and the “Reinvention of Live” in Professional TV News Broadcasting

This article sets out to provide fresh insight into the case of liveness in news media by exploring a particular live-news technology—LiveU’s digital, cellular-based, live broadcast technology, and its implementation in professional TV news broadcasting. Based on a thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with nine TV news and LiveU’s professionals, the findings point to various interconnections between LiveU’s technology and certain professional actors through a variety of editorial, business and technological decision-making processes and activities that constitute live-news broadcasting. Essentially, the case of LiveU and its implementation in professional TV live-news broadcasting illustrate the intersection of news mobility and the production of news from a socio-technical standpoint.

The Changing and Unchanging Nature and Salary of the First Job in Local TV News

Past studies (by Lee Becker and me) have shown that almost all new local TV news hires of recent college graduates are among journalism, broadcast and communication majors. The industry has always looked to academia to prepare students for that first job in local TV news. But as the industry changes—however slowly—are those jobs the same as they used to be? And is the pay any different? I’ve been conducting the annual RTDNA Surveys for the past 27 years, and I’ve taken a look back over time to see how industry hiring is evolving.

Cutting Edge: Innovation and Improvement in Local TV News

Innovation in local television news is hard to quantify but urgently required according to Andrew Heyward, one of the country’s leading experts on the topic. The former president of CBS News now directs a major research initiative at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The research project, funded by the Knight Foundation, is focused on identifying best practices in local TV news and on collaborating with stations to develop new strategies to ensure sustainability.

A Case Study on Reading Aloud Using English TV News

A Case Study on Reading Aloud Using English TV News

중국 TV 뉴스 프로그램 선택요인이 재시청 의도에 미치는 영향

본 연구는 중국의 뉴스 프로그램 이용 만족도와 재시청 의도에 영향을 미칠 것으로 여겨지는 선택요인을 구성하고, 이러한 선택요인이 실제로 시청자의 이용 만족과 재시청 의도에 영향을 미치는지를 파악하고자 하는 것이다. 이를 통해 중국 뉴스 프로그램의 제작과 방송사의 경영에 실질적인 도움이 될 수 있는 실증적 자료를 제공하는 것을 목적으로 하였다. 먼저 뉴스 프로그램 선택요인을 뉴스 품질 측면, 진행자의 특성 측면, 채널 브랜드 자산 측면으로 요인화하였다. 이 중에서 뉴스 품질 측면은 재시청 의도에 유의적인 영향을 미치지 못하며, 진행자 측면에서 신뢰성이 재시청 의도에 유의적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 신뢰성 있는 뉴스 진행자를 부각시키기 위한 방안이 필요하다는 것을 알 수 있다. 브랜드 자산 측면의 경우, 이미지가 재시청 의도에 유의적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 채널 브랜드의 이미지에 대한 긍정적인 지각을 높여 재시청자를 확보하는 것이 필요하다는 것을 알 수 있다. 뉴스 프로그램 선택요인이 이용 만족도에 미치는 영향을 살펴본 결과, 뉴스 품질 측면의 공정성과 진행자 측면의 전문성이 이용 만족도에 유의적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 뉴스의 공정성과 진행자의 전문성을 긍정적으로 평가하는 시청자일수록 만족도가 높아질 수 있다는 것을 알 수 있다. 브랜드 자산 요인은 이용 만족도에 유의한 영향을 미치지 못하는 것으로 나타났다. 마지막으로 뉴스 프로그램에 대한 만족도는 재시청 의도에 유의적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다.

The development and application of new media technology in news communication industry

Many new media technologies have emerged in modern society. The application of new media technologies has impacted traditional TV news media, which not only faces great challenges, but also brings some lessons for the development of TV news media. New media technology relies on powerful information processing technology and data storage technology to develop and grow continuously. Compared with traditional news, new media technology has more powerful information storage capacity and dissemination capacity. Firstly, this paper briefly introduces the concept of new media technology, summarizes the typical characteristics of new media technology, and analyzes the existing problems in the application of new media technology in the news communication industry based on the necessity of applying new media technology. Finally, some Suggestions are put forward based on this, hoping to provide some reference for the development of news communication industry.

The Imaginary of an Invisible Enemy: The SARS-CoV-2 Virion on the Spanish TV News

During epidemiological crises, tradi­tional media have played an essential informational role. In this paper we analyze the imaginary of COVID-19 and, specifically, of the representa­tion of the virion of the SARS-CoV-2 virus through news reports from the main Spanish TV channels. This virion, represented as an “invisible enemy” that has confined half of the world population, is presented in the news using 3D illustrations that highlight its roughened surface and elongated spikes ending in tentacles, an image that does not cor-respond to scientific illustrations. These and other attributes suggest that the imaginary of COV­ID-19 has inherited the imaginary of other previous episodes of coronavirus­es being not scientifically accurate but motivated by the journalistic objective of representing the main characteris­tics of the virus and the severity of the danger. Keywords: visual communication, health risk communication, television news, COVID-19, pandemic.

Changes in the prosodic structure of journalistic text before and after speech therapy intervention

Prosody has a crucial role in TV news speaking style in transmitting the message to listener. Speaking style influences prosodic structure and may characterize a distinctive mark of a person or a social group speech. Besides, speaking style allows the speaker to attract the listener´s attention to particular chunks of his/her announcement. The aim of this work is to study the rhythmic organization of Brazilian Portuguese (BP) TV news speaking style by analyzing the evolution of the normalized duration of vowel-to-vowel units (VV units) throughout the utterances in two conditions (before and after vocal training workshops). For this study two students of journalism were submitted to vocal training workshops for six months. Each meeting lasted one hour and thirty minutes. The training workshops intended to improve phonoarticulatory aspects involved in TV news speaking style. The students read a specific text before and after the training but did not receive direct instructions as how to read the text. The Praat Software was used to analyze the VV durations and statistic analyses were carried out. Statistical analyses of VV durations did not show differences between before and after intervention as a whole, but showed differences in specific stretches of the utterances, particularly in phrase stress position. These differences across conditions were considered an indication of the strategies developed by the participants during the training, such as the increase of silent pause duration and the increase of VV duration in general. The increase in VV units duration after the training may be considered a way of speaking the news with more emphasis. These strategies did not appear before training. Based on the results of VV timing after training it is possible to say that the training had a crucial role in improving the professional-related subjects´ speaking style. Perceptual tests were carried out to exam how the strategies used by the subjects to read the announcement would be interpreted by the listener comparing before and after intervention. The perceptual tests suggested that listeners do perceive emphasis in after-training reading and this seems to be related not only to longer VV units, but also to expanded fundamental frequency range. The order that the announcements were presented had influenced the listeners´ answers.

Heated debates on regulations of heated tobacco products in South Korea: the news valence, source and framing of relative risk/benefit

BackgroundWe analyse news representations of the regulation of heated tobacco products (HTPs) in South Korea, the country where HTP use is among the highest in the world despite conflicts between...

TV News and COVID-19: Media Influence on Healthy Behavior in Public Spaces.

The COVID-19 outbreak has dramatically changed our life. Despite the rapid growth of scientific publications about medical aspects of the pandemic, less has been explored about the effects of media communication regarding COVID-19 on healthy behaviors. Yet, the scientific literature has widely debated on how media can influence people’s health-related evaluations, emotions, and behaviors. To fill this gap, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between media exposure, people’s attitudes and emotions toward media contents, and healthy behaviors related to the use of public spaces, such as avoiding crowded places, wearing face masks, and maintaining social distance. A questionnaire referring to these variables was administered to an opportunistic sample of 174 participants in Italy during the off-peak period of the COVID-19 outbreak and before restrictions to mobility were extended to the whole country. Results showed that media exposure, the perception of social initiatives of prevention, and moderate levels of fear increase healthier behaviors in the use of public spaces. Perceiving alarming information did not significantly predict healthy behaviors in the use of public spaces. Results are discussed with reference to the previous literature. Suggestions to media communication to increase preventive behaviors during emergencies are also provided.

Anxiety, perceived control and pandemic behaviour in Thailand during COVID-19: Results from a national survey

Anxiety, perceived control and trust in information sources have all been shown to significantly influence health and social behaviours during pandemics. We measured these factors in a nationally representative on-street survey collected across five regions of Thailand (N = 1000, May 2020, response rate 82.6%). Anxiety was positively associated with stocking up on food (OR 2.62 (95% CI 1.88–3.66)) and taking vitamins (OR 2.37 (1.59–3.54)); perceived control with (recommended) coughing into an elbow (OR 2.42 (1.80–3.26)), checking on others (OR 1.52 (1.00–2.31)), and negatively with stockpiling (OR 0.72 (0.55-0.96)). Those relying on family/friends, doctors online or foreign sources were more likely to take vitamins (ORs 4.11, 2.88. 2.82), respondents using TV news less likely to stock up on food (OR 0.57 (0.37-0.86)) and to wear a mask for self-protection (OR 0.27 (0.10-0.73)). Comparing findings with analogous cross-sectional data on anxiety collected at the start of the pandemic (Feb 2020, Goodwin et al., 2020) there was no significant difference between personal anxiety in the two surveys (F (1, 1197) = 0.72, p = .40)) but perceived control was lower in the later survey (F (1, 1197) = 6.72 p = .01)). Findings suggest reduced perceived control as the pandemic developed and illuminate possible negative impacts of anxiety and low sense of control on pandemic behaviours.

Exploring media framing of abortion content on Kenyan television: a qualitative study protocol

BackgroundMedia framing of abortion messages is an emerging field of research. However, little is known about how the news media frames abortion messages aimed at influencing adolescents’ reproductive health choices. This study therefore seeks to investigate the framing of abortion in TV news items on three leading Kenyan TV outlets over a period of 3 years, understand Kenyan journalists’ perceptions and experiences with abortion coverage, and to examine adolescents’ perceptions and experiences with abortion coverage on Kenyan televised news media.MethodsThis qualitative study which will be conducted in two sites-Nairobi and Uasin Gishu counties-in Kenya will purposively sample abortion news items from three leading media outlets aired between January 2016 to December 2019, for content analysis. Additionally, 12 journalists (9 reporters, 3 news editors) will be purposively sampled for Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) on journalist framing of abortion messages. Finally, convenience sampling will be used to select approximately 48 university-going adolescents for four Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)-2 female, 2 male- aimed at examining adolescents’ perceptions and experiences with abortion coverage in the broadcast news media. The KIIs and FGDs will be audio-recorded, transcribed and translated. These data will be analyzed thematically.DiscussionThis study moves beyond interrogating only media items to further exploring framing from the perspectives of media consumers and investigations in the process behind production of abortion messages. The study interrogates abortion messages aimed at younger demographics such as adolescents as well as the gendered differences of the effects of these abortion messages, an area barely explored. The study findings will be informative to those who wish to develop media that could be used to promote safe abortion as well as advocate for sexual reproductive health rights, especially among adolescents.

OBJECTIVITY IN MEDIA: A PERSPECTIVE OF SOURCE CREDIBILITY IN SOCIETY

People's desire to learn about what's going on in their communities via social media has sparked a slew of comparison studies on the news credibility of newspaper, social media and television in general. The reliability of news sources such as social media, television, and newspapers was compared in this study. The study included both focus group discussions and surveys as part of its research approach. The researcher's theoretical basis for the study was framing theory. The study's findings indicate that respondents' level of education and familiarity with the internet have an effect on the news they choose and believe. Similarly, the majority of individuals rely on a secondary source of information after being exposed to their preferred source of information in order to verify the veracity of a news article. In addition, the study found that people who thought TV and newspaper news was more credible than social media did so because well-trained people make the news in newspapers and on TV, and there are processes in place to make sure the news is accurate and objective. Significant theoretical and practical ramifications flow from how people evaluate news organizations in terms of their reliability and credibility.

Associations between conflicting nutrition information, nutrition confusion and backlash among consumers in the UK.

To examine the effects of exposure to conflicting nutritional information (CNI) through different forms of media on nutrition-related confusion and backlash among consumers in the UK. Cross-sectional survey administered via Qualtrics among 18-75-year-old participants in the UK. The sample was stratified by age and gender with quotas defined according to the 2011 UK census distribution. Qualtrics' Online panel of respondents in the UK. 676 participants comprising nearly an equal number of females (n 341) and males (n 335) and a majority (58·6 %) from households whose income was <£30 000. Our findings showed that nearly 40 % of respondents were exposed to some or a lot of CNI. We found that while exposure to CNI from TV and online news increased nutrition confusion, CNI from health professionals increased backlash. Exposure to CNI from social media and health websites was associated with reduced backlash. We also found that nutrition confusion and backlash were negatively associated with exercise behaviour and fruit and vegetable consumption, respectively. Our study supports the theoretical pathways that explain the influence of CNI exposure on nutrition-related cognitive and behavioural outcomes. Additionally, different types of online information sources are associated with these outcomes to varying degrees. In the context of obesity and diabetes rates in the UK, our findings call for (a) further experimental research into the effects of CNI on consumers' diet-related cognitions and behaviours and (b) multi-stakeholder, interdisciplinary approaches to address this problem.

COVID-19 related TV News and Stock Returns: Evidence from Major US TV Stations

We investigate a novel dataset of more than half a million 15 second transcribed audio snippets containing COVID-19 mentions from major US TV stations throughout 2020. Using the Latent Dirichlet Allocation, an unsupervised machine learning algorithm, we identify seven COVID-19 related topics discussed in US TV news. We find that daily changes in airtime corresponding to certain COVID-19 related topics, such as a public health and a stock market topic, predict significant and economically meaningful market reactions in the next day. Consistent with models of investor sentiment, we find that the stock market topic induces temporary upward price pressure followed by returns reversals in subsequent days. This effect, however, is specific to the stock market topic since we find no evidence of return reversals for other COVID-19 topics. Further analyses suggest that this effect is moderated by current market levels, more pronounced after the market collapse in March 2020, and concentrated in telecommunication, wholesale/retail, health, and financial industry portfolios. In summary, these findings are in line with a behavioral “Fear Of Missing Out”-narrative reinforced by TV news about the stock market that draws investor attention to rising stock prices, fueling fears of missing out on gains ensuing from the COVID-19 stock market turmoil in March 2020.

Morality-based Analysis of Viewer’s Comments on Internet TV News Program

Morality-based Analysis of Viewer’s Comments on Internet TV News Program

Facebook Profiles of Major Tv News Stations in Poland on June 4, 2019

The increase in the polarization level and identity divisions of the Polish society have become possible due to the existence of new media, including social media, especially Facebook. It is in the space of mass media where individual identity narratives, concerning the experience of individual memory of individual actors and the interpretation of history, take place. Among the important events in the recent history of Poland, which have become a part of the identity division and polarization processes, were the partially free elections on June 4, 1989. The quality and quantity of the material presented on the 30th anniversary of these elections on the official Facebook accounts of the main Polish TV news stations confirms that the media remain not neutral to key events and phenomena in the social space. Moreover, they contribute to deepening and consolidating certain moods and the phenomenon of polarization. The mediatization process affects not only the adaptation of individual units or institutions to the mentality of the media, but also the phenomenon of media adaptation to the expectations of its users.

COVID-19 Pandemic: health professionals' perception about the assistance mentioned in television media.

Exhibit the health professionals' perception about the assistance provided during the COVID-19 pandemic mentioned television media. Qualitative study developed after analysis of the videos with a testimonial from practitioners assisting patients with COVID-19, presented by the series "Inside Here" (in Portuguese, "Aqui Dentro"), of Globo TV News Jornal Nacional, broadcasted in 2020. Textual data was processed by the software IRAMUTEQ with descending hierarchical classification and content analysis, having the theoretical framework as the psychodynamics of Dejours' study. Three categories emerged: work overload in assisting; subjective mobilization of health professionals; strategies to face in assisting. We verified the physical and psychic work overload during the assistance, but there was a concern to ensure a humanized care. Despite the difficulties faced, the recovery and discharge from patients generated motivation and satisfaction in front of the COVID-19 scenario.

The Revealed Demand for Hard vs. Soft News: Evidence from Italian TV Viewership

We analyze minute-by-minute, individual level data on viewership for Italian TV news broadcasts (from AUDITEL™), matched with detailed data on content (from Osservatorio di Pavia). We are interested in the behavior of viewers, and in particular in their decision to switch away from a news program as a function of the type of story they are currently watching. Somewhat surprisingly, we find that “soft” news systematically induces viewers to switch away, even more than “hard” news. On the other hand, sensational stories about crime, accidents and disasters are associated with less switching. We also find significant differences in this switching behavior according to gender, age, and the specific TV channel being watched. For example, young people are relatively more likely to switch away from hard news than soft news, compared to older people.

The Coronavirus Theme Coverage Contexts on the Television News Agenda Following the Announcement of the Emergency

The paper presents the results of a study that examined the contexts of the coronavirus theme coverage on Russian TV news. In addition, the article considers the thematic diversity of the agenda for the period from February 1 to February 29, 2020. The study focuses on TV channels Russia 24, Moscow 24, OTR, Mir, and Euronews. Thus, the paper processed in all 4,930 original news stories, 869 of which were devoted to the topic of coronavirus. The aim of the study was to find out how TV journalists constructed the agenda at that time and how they were dealing with the topic of coronavirus. The collected data demonstrated that the television channels covered the themes at an equal rate. Moreover, the topic of coronavirus often constructed as the news of public interest, with more attention being paid to its coverage from an economic and political point of view, while a scientific explanation is the least common.