P5 - Contacting Whitechapel Mission

Below are two emails sent from me to Whitechapel Mission regarding an interview with someone that can talk about the issue of homelessness and the response. A message was sent a week before sending this email to their website asking for an interview but I've gotten no reply so this was another attempt to get into contact with the charity.

 

 

 

This is the response I got shortly after sending the email. I managed to successfully get into contact about the matter but unfortunately because of the Christmas holidays I'm unable to get an interview at this time but have the opportunity to do it in January.

 

 

FLY FM

 

P4 - My Stories

MY STORIES

Aspects of the news I've decided to focus and research on are entertainment (soft story) as many of our target audience mentioned that they listen to news more to do with this, and human interest (hard story), which would appeal to our audience because this is where I'll be covering news that affect young people.

For my hard story, I've chosen to look into homelessness in young people in East London. I've decided to look into a charity called 'Whitechapel Mission' which is nearby.

By researching into this story I'm going to interview a person who works at the charity or if possible someone who has gone for help at the mission.

FLY FM

P3 - Phone conversation to plan a meeting (AUDIO)

This is a recording of a conversation between me and another member of my group organizing to meet up to plan and work on our presentation 

FLY FM

P2 - Official logo

This is Fly FM's official radio logo. As seen our logo consists of a megaphone with a speech bubble coming out of it filled with questions. This connotes our newscast is informative as we aim to ask the questions that our audience do not inquire. On the megaphone the name of our radio station is encrypted on there to let people know it is us.

We wanted to make sure that our logo stood out but we didn't want to add too much colour as it would make it look too extravagant. So we stuck to using casual colours but still making look attractive. We used a simple software - Photoshop - to create and slightly alter the picture. The logo originally started out as just a plain white megaphone, but with the use of colours we managed to make it look more professionally done, suitable for our newscast.

P1 - Group Planning (AUDIO)

In this audio me and two other members of my group discuss what each of us should research in local news. I have chosen to look into the entertainment news as my soft story and the issue of homeless in young people for my hard story.

FLY FM

R27 - Script Development

From this script I've learnt how a script is developed, the terminology such as 'Slug' which is the title, and 'conventional ending' which is the usual way of ending a newscast. I've also learnt what the role of each person of reading a newscast are and the structure of reading it, for example an anchor is the person that reads the lead sentence of a story and every sentence is a new paragraph. 

FLY FM

R26 - What's a vox pop? (VIDEO)

A vox pop is where members of the public are questioned about opinions on something, which is a useful source of news.

Down below is an example of a vox pop. The video includes members of the public aged 20+ being asked what the watch on TV.
 

    

 

The media use vox pop for many reasons, such as:

 

to test public opinion and interest

to influence decision-makers

to forecast results of events

to stimulate public debate

to promote the newspaper, radio or television station, and make it more popular

Types of vox pops

There are three types of vox pop, and each has its place in the media - the full public opinion survey, the limited survey and the simple street poll.

Public opinion survey

This needs to be conducted scientifically by a company which specialises in such surveys. The data which they gather from carefully prepared questions is statistically analysed by computer.

All this costs big money. General elections in the UK and USA are now so carefully covered in advance by such surveys that the result on election day is seldom a surprise.

Limited survey

This can be carried out by journalists, using a structured questionnaire, and some statistical conclusions may be drawn from it. Its accuracy is limited, however, so any findings should be treated with caution.

Street poll

This does not attempt to gather statistical information; it is looking for good quotes. A random selection of members of the public are asked for their opinions on a given topic, and the best ones quoted. It is good to photograph them and publish their quote with their picture, or record their voices for broadcast.

R25 - Making News

So... What is news??

 

News tells people what's happening around the world. When talking about it it's often something that people want to know, need to know and be of their interest

 

 

 

>  People must be watching, listening and reading the news

>  There needs to be a good mix of stories

   >  It should include local news as well as national & international     news 

   >  The stories should be chosen with the audience in mind

 

There are 6 steps to making the news:

-  Find

-  Gather

-  Write 

-  Assemble

-  Order

-  Broadcast
 

 

Where do the stories comes from? No not TV... 

To present news and talk about it, it must be found first which is the first stage. You need to look around, listen, talk to people (get more social!). You may commonly hear something in school or in the local area. Think about this; "what was the last thing i found out that makes me want to tell my friends.

 

When finding news it comes from places called 'sources'. It can be a journalist, press/news release, witnesses or people - such as experts, friends, neighbours etc. HOWEVER, when getting information from sources it is important to make sure it is TRUE and ACCURATE. For example, if 2 sources have the same stories told in the same way then it is probably true

 

 

  This shows examples of stories and why they are classed as 'news'



R24 - Sounds Codes

 

 

There are 4 types of sound codes in radio:

-               Music

-               Speech

-               Silence

-               Sound Effect
 

  

 MUSIC

Music is used a lot in radio due to changing scenes. These are called jingles and by using them it makes it a lot clearer for the audience to show there location. An example of this is at a train station as you can use announcements. By using music and sound effects it creates the atmosphere and set the mood.

 

SPEECH

Speech is what is DEFINITELY needed for radio. When listening to the radio the presenters need to have a change tone that would be appropriate for what they are talking about. For example, if talking about a story where someone has been murdered the appropriate tone here would be perhaps mournful or serious. A positive stone would give the complete wrong impression. From a radio that is trying to target young audience may talk or use slang/slang words to relate to their audience, however if it is a radio such as LBC then formal language should be used and spoken as it is covering the news.

 

SILENCE
Silence can have its many uses to create an effect. It can be used to present a new story, but what is more common from observing the news it is often used to present serious news, so whenever there is a silence people will know that a serious topic is going to be spoken about. It's also used to make something sound or seem dramatic. This is useful because it will create suspense which usually keeps an audience hanging in there until they find out what's going on.

SOUND EFFECT
Using sound effects will determine where someone may be. For example, if oyu hear live music playing and people screaming it will be assumed that a radio presenter is at a music festival or a concert. Sounds effects can also be used for comical use, such as audience laughter.

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Overall these sound codes can be used to create and present an effective and successful radio newscast.

This shows how important using sound codes are as they practically make up the radio for what they are. Without them it would be less interesting and amusing. For my radio I need to consider this to target my audience



R23 - Codes and Conventions of Radio

                                

Codes and conventions of radio from SyedaT13

R22 - Rajar

                                

Rajar from SyedaT13

R21 - Is Radio Outdated?

 

 

What's a radio?...

 

Recently I have been going out and observing society and how everyday people gain access to information. From observation it is clear how the most common way of finding out about the news - locally, nationally and globally -is. And that is... the internet. With the internet being accessible almost anywhere people are using smartphones, androids and computers to find out what's going on in the world. There are also other forms of getting information. For example, to find out when a movie is going to released there are Billboards and promotional posters on busses, taxis and train stations to inform you of that.

 

In my opinion I think the radio is more popular with older audiences ranging from the ages of 30+. This may be because people like sticking to the old, traditional way of listening to music, the news etc. The 'Golden Age' of radio is said to have been between the !930s-1940s according to cybercollege.com. And because not everyone could've bought a TV, a radio was another option.

 

 

Over the years technology keeps on improving and creating great impacts on everyone's lives. For example, the iPhone, working robots, electric cars. Taking this in mind, radio is losing its value as there are much more easy and accessible ways of keeping up with everyday news. With music, there are now many ways to access songs, listen to favourite artists and purchase songs. These are all done digitally.

 

From this I've learnt to find ways to make sure that I keep up to date with what is going on so I keep my target audience interested. I think the best way to do so is by using social media such as facebook to reach out to my audience as they are more likely to take interest in something that is relatable to them as they are teenagers/young adults.

 



R20 - Local news in the East End

Me and my group looked at this article together about 3 young girls (shown in the picture) campaigning for female rights globally. This issue is very important as this year celebrities such as Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Lorde, Emma Watson and more have come out naming themselves as 'feminists'. So with influence like that this story sparks an interests to those not only passionate about the campaign but who also follow in the celebrities footsteps. 

This story would suggestively appeal to young people - especially girls - as the graffiti in the background is a form of art to young girls and boys. Especially in the East End which is where this story is held. Graffiti is usually seen negatively by people because it associates with 'hoodlums' and 'trouble-makers', but the use of it here in this article with this inspiring story shows that it isn't just vandalism but more of a symbol of the youth. 

The news value used here is proximity and human interest. The story was mentioned in the 'East End Life' which is a local newspaper in East London. This is more likely to gain interest in local girls as the younger generation have limited knowledge on what goes on around the world. Because the event is nearby there are open opportunities for people to get involved. 

The topic of this story which is about girls and women being subjected to their rights is sensitive as it may affect people in the local area so this shows the news value of human interest. 

From this i have learnt to get my target audience interested in my stories i have to consider these news values as being a young person myself I found this particular article interesting and worthy to read because of the topic, proximity and the people involved which are mainly young.  

R19 - How to edit sound using Audacity (VIDEO)

This video is a tutorial on how to edit sound on audacity. From watching this i have learnt how to edit my work with simple techniques which just needs a basic understanding of. I've learned how to import my files and how to make certain audio sound better by cutting out excess or unnecessary sound. This is simply done by highlighting a section of sound i want to remove and just pressing the 'cut' button. There are other features such as copy, fade in/out, echo which are useful features because it will make my work sound more advanced. Audacity can be really beneficial to use as it will make my work sound professional and the standards of it will be very good

R18 - News Values

Impact

The importance of a news story - whether a story will impact the greatest number of people, The more recent a story is it is more newsworthy

Prominence

This includes well-know individuals or institutions that are newsworthy. Knowledge of these people may come from the power of the person or what the institution possess. For example, the president, the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Or from a celebrity. An example of this would be the late Princess Diana or fashion designer Gianni Versace.

Proximity

Close by events, all other things being equal, are more important than distant ones - News which is relevant to the target audience because an event has occurred in their region

The Bizarre

Unusual or unexpected news which gains more attention. Often thing that happens less often are funny to read. For example, McDonald's opening a branch inside a church.

Conflict

 Opposition of people or forces resulting in a dramatic effect. It can be over institutions and individuals. Stories with conflict are often quite newsworthy.

Currency

Stories that have been in the public eye for some time already are deemed valuable. For example, a story about an abduction and murder of a child may run for weeks and weeks, even if nothing new happens.

 

 Human Interest

Those stories that have more of an entertainment factor versus any of the above - not that some of the other news values cannot have an entertainment value.

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From this research I've learnt that to make my stories newsworthy I have to consider these factors or at least 1 or 2 of them to make it interesting to my target audience.

R17 - East London Radio

 

"East London Radio is a non for profit radio station, that gives people the pathway into radio through training and mentoring."


Local radio East London Radio is based in East London founded

by bezzies Aaron McCarter and Ian Chambers. This particular radio station is mainly aimed at young people, graduates and the unemployed in the surrounding areas of Hackney, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets and Newham. This radio has been described as 'most diverse', 'covering an area of 3.3 million people'. This is definitely more different than usual, typical radio stations because East London Radio physically works with people and help others gain experience through radio. 

 

The radio usually airs from midnight to 11pm. It includes shows to do with performing arts, local news, educational news etc.

 

>http://eastlondonradio.org.uk/<

R16 - Pirate Radio

WHAT IS A PIRATE RADIO?

A pirate radio is an illegal or unregulated radio transmission for entertainment or political purposes. There are hundreds of these radio stations broadcasting illegally in the UK. They usually specialise in playing music not heard on other radio stations but even so, they are still breaking the law.

THE PROBLEMS...

Although to some people they find that there is no harm in this the participation of it is still a criminal and anti-social activity which causes problems for legal broadcasters. From the OFCOM site, broadcasters cause these particular problems:

- Cause interference to the broadcasts of legal radio stations depriving them of audience and the public of the ability to listen to the station of their choice.
- Steal frequencies and space on the radio spectrum and their use of poor transmitting equipment makes interference an inevitable consequence of their activities.
- Unauthorised use of premises as transmitter sites leads to criminal damage and theft - a burden carried by the owners or residents of the premises used.
- Pay no business, council, VAT or income taxes and therefore take from, rather than contribute to, the communities they claim to serve.
- They disrupt the vital communications of the safety of life services, particularly air traffic control.

chart shows the outcome of the Agency's prosecutions up to 2002



"The Agency has learnt that a licensed broadcasting station is running a competition to recruit DJ’s from pirate radio stations.The economic value of the UK radio industry is worth £20 billion at 2000 prices. The Agency is responsible for ensuring that this vital national asset is not threatened by misuse of the radio spectrum. The greatest threat comes from unlicensed broadcasters who operate with total disregard for authorised radio users. Recruitment of staff from pirate radio stations may require pirate broadcasters to provide information that is effectively evidence of their committing a criminal offence of unlicensed broadcasting. The penalties for that criminal offence are:

- an unlimited fine and/or two years in prison, plus
- anyone convicted of an offence is barred from working on a legal station for 5 years" 

This is a warning from the "RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS AGENCY" to broadcasters who are looking to hire DJs from pirate radios. As shown, the penalties from even this are tough. This goes to show how seriously pirate radios are taken

  

~~http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/topics/enforcement/pirate.htm~~

R15 - Public interview about radio and news (AUDIO)

Here I've interviewed both my male and female target audiences about the radio and news. From this I've found out that most of the audience members listen to the radio but for entertainment purposes. For example, Football and music. But it is not regular listening. I've also found out that other aspects of the news are practically non-existent to my audience. Reasons for it could be because it doesn't really interest young people even if it may involve and effect them. Crime is one of the topics which is slightly popular because it does affect everyone and it is something that unfortunately happens everyday. 

R14 - Student Research (VIDEO)

I've asked 3 pupils aged 15 and 16 all sharing their own opinion and views what type of news they watch, how they watch it and what interests them. Surprisingly, there were similar views. I've found out from my research that the particular news that interests young people are more to do with entertainment. And because of having easy access to the Internet it is more preferred to catch up on the news via smart phone or computer than anything else, like TV or radio. I've also found out that radio is not popular with young people as the news on the radio is not of particular interest and unlike Mail Online for example, people cannot choose what they'd like to hear. However, most people aged 15+ would listen to the radio for music but only occasionally.

R13 - Defamation

So what is defamation?
Defamation is the intentional false communication that affects a person, business, product, group, government, religion, or a nation's (community) reputation. There is spoken defamation (slander) and defamation in media such as prints and images (libel).  In most situations, defamation can come across as discrimination so it is treated as a crime.


Defamation Act 2013 - http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/defamation.html

The BBC Academy of journalism states that "The law of defamation allows individuals, companies or firms (‘claimants’) to sue for damage to their reputation caused by material that is published and which makes defamatory comments about them".

Defamation can be done by publication. Such as:
-Newspaper - this would be libel
-Websites - libel
-Radio - slander

There have been changes to the defence of defamation. For example, if a person's intention was to tell the truth, express honest opinions and publication for public interests. 


EXAMPLE OF DEFAMATION

Earlier this year actress Scarlett Johansson sued French writer Grégoire Delacourt for using her as a model for the author's protagonist in the book La Première Chose Qu'on Regarde (The First Thing You Look At), which had sold over 100,000 copies and translated into several languages. The actress claimed the book, "fraudulently exploited her name, her image and her celebrity" and that it was, "an attack on her private life" as the fictional character in the book was seen as a sex object and had two affairs which the actress did not have. This created a lot of fuss for the actress because of the belief that people who will read the book will believe that the fictional character's background relates to her. Her argument however was throw out by the court as Ms Johansson has already spoken out about her private life in interviews.

The author quoted, "I wrote a work of fiction. My character is not Scarlett Johansson". So no defamatory work was intentional though that was thought otherwise by the actress.

R12 - Guidelines for journalists

A good, even better journalist

-It is crucial to observe good professional practice when using the work of others. The source must be mentioned when the information has been published by another party.

-A journalist is primarily responsible to the readers, listeners and viewers. They have the right to know what is happening in society

-The journalist has the right to conceal the identity of any person who has provided confidential information. The editorial office must respect this principle.

-Information sources must be approached critically. This is particularly important in controversial issues, since the source of the information may be pursuing personal gain or to damage others.

-In interviews, the interviewee must always be told whether the conversation is intended for publication or will be used exclusively as background material

-Incorrect information must be corrected immediately

-If it is not possible to simultaneously hear the views of the parties involved, it may be necessary to give the party which has received the very negative publicity the opportunity to be heard afterwards. If this is not done, good journalistic practice calls for the publication of the comment of the party criticised.

-Highly delicate matters in one's personal life may only be published with the consent of the person in question, or if such matters are of considerable public interest. Protection of privacy must also be considered when using photographic materials.

-The identity of a victim of a highly sensitive crime must be protected unless the matter is of considerable public interest.

-Differentiate between fact and opinion.

-Avoids plagiarism

-Produce no material likely to lead to hatred or discrimination on the grounds of a person’s age, gender, race, colour, creed, legal status, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation.


http://ethicnet.uta.fi/finland/guidelines_for_journalists
http://www.nuj.org.uk/about/nuj-code/

____________________________________________________________

These codes are important in journalism because they consider the safety of people and respects views and opinions. Without, for example, the code to not use incorrect information or false sources may cause controversy affecting the position of the journalist and safety.

In law matters it is especially important to consider the codes. Many criminal cases are affected because of the influence of media. For example, in some cases a defendant on trial is judged by the jurors straight away because of the news coverage and the description of the defendant. This often creates an unfair judgement.

When conducting a good interview the journalist should respect the person they are interviewing and stick to the matter of the topic/subject. Disrespecting the interviewee and mentioning personal subjects can give the journalist a bad name and reputation.

R11 - Our Interview with BBC Journalist, Angie Pitt

1) How do you gather your sources? 
Lots of different ways! I look for reliable information - this often means contacting somebody who knows about the subject I’m covering - (an eyewitness, an expert, an official spokesperson) - but you may also have to look for other sources, like statistics or old stories about the issue. You need to make sure your sources are reliable - where are you getting the information from? Do you trust the source? Don’t forget to credit your source - if the figures you are quoting are from the local council, say that is where you got them!

 

2)  Do you get a lot of negative comments and criticism about your job? 

Not really. The BBC sometimes gets criticised in the media and we have to be aware of people’s concerns -  we are funded by licence fee payers so we have to make sure we’re listening to what our audience is saying.

 

 

      3) How do you target your audience?

       I think about what they need to know, want to know and might be interested to know! I also think about the best way to give them that information. I work with schools, teachers and young people, so I try to understand what’s going on in those worlds - which means keeping up on the news that relates to them! I read about education, learning and issues affecting young people. It’s really important to listen - so I try to learn from what teachers and young people tell me!

 

      4) How far would you go to get information on a particular news or event? 

       BBC journalists have a responsibility to be fair, accurate and ethical - we have lots of guidelines about how we can ensure we are living up to that. I would always follow those guidelines - it’s important that we do the right thing. We can always discuss our plans with our colleagues and editors as well.

 

Lots of journalists are incredibly brave and go to very dangerous places - like war zones for example - to bring important stories to us. I really admire those people - without them, there would be huge gaps in what we know about really important things that are happening in the world.

 

      5)  How does modern/new technology help you in the news industry? 

       A lot! A smartphone can enable you to take photos, shoot video and record audio, then send it back to the newsroom to be published within minutes. I started working at the BBC four years ago and people told me about how making the news used to be done years ago - recording on tapes, having to physically slice the tape to edit a radio piece. I never had to do

R10 - Ofcom (VIDEO)

R9 - How to be a great news reporter (VIDEO)

BODY LANGUAGE - need to look the part and your head should be up and shoulders back

DELIVERY - talk loudly and slowly as if in a conversation with someone. It's important that the viewers can hear what you say and understand. Avoid speaking fast

WORDS - if reading off script it's important that you know what to say and that it sounds like your own words

EXPLAIN -  remember that people who are listening may be someone you know

FLOW - try to avoid silences, gaps and saying 'erm'

R8 - What is a Webcast? (VIDEO)

A webcast is a broadcast on the internet which can allow up to have tens and hundreds of viewers. They are highly reliable and are designed to address a wide audience all over the world. Webcasts uses audio and video streaming, allows you to listen or see presenter over the internet and without the need of having to download programmes. Webcasts can be used to represent a company which can be customised to reflect the theme of it. They also includes a form of interactivity which allows participants to take part of live polls. It can also be useful for training, medical marketing events and education.

R7 - Journalism How-To: Interviewing (VIDEO)

From watching this video I've learnt the basics of interviewing and what makes a good interview. For example, location is really important. To ensure that the sound quality is good and the person I'm interviewing is comfortable, I have to make sure that the location is quite, tidy and accessible. Also, having questions prepared before an interview. For this I need to make sure that when coming up with questions they are brief and relevant to the subject.

R5 - SCREENSHOT OF NEWSCAST

This screenshot shows the audio in audacity of the interview showing the skills used to make it sound like a radio interview with the use of other sound - e.g. instrumental music - and sound effects.

R4 - Survey regarding today's news

These days everyone is influenced by the things that surrounds them. For example, celebrities, war, video games, fashion etc. But one thing that plays an important part in our life is the NEWS. We are presented with local news, national news and international news. We as viewers at some point do watch the news and sometimes don't even realise how hugely influenced we are by them. This survey will ask you questions regarding the different aspects of the news and your understanding of it.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

R3 - Top 10 Radio Stations in the UK

Love listening to the radio? Or do you not know what radio stations to listen to perhaps. Because to love radio you need to listen to it and if you don't listen to it then how can you- ANYWAY, here is the answer to you newcomers and radio enthusiasts. Click on the link below to check out the presentation listing the top 10 radio stations in the UK to find out what tickles your fancy!

Whether you're a music lover, sports fanatic or a drama nut, there's something for everyone!



 

Top 10 radio stations in the UK from SyedaT13

R2 - NuSound Radio

NuSound Radio is a community radio station based in Newham, East London providing news and covering subjects and serious issues such as domestic abuse, rape, violence and more for the local in the community.

This radio covers a variety of important matters and like most newscasts, it is very multicultural, including presenters from different backgrounds. It also provides music, community news, interviews and events coverage.

>>>>www.nusoundradio.com<<<<

R1 - RADIO NEWSCATS ANALYSIS

IRN (Independent Radio) is a radio station with a figure with approximately 26 million listeners, providing 24 hour national and international news to the UK’s commercial radio network. Its usual newscast is 10am with the target audience of adults –most likely business women and men because of the contents of the news.

The newscast starts off with a lead story of political news regarding the prime minister and us as the viewers. The story talks about how the prime minister’s promise of having access to the GP every day of the week by the end of 2020 if The Conservatives are voted for. This is the lead story because the action affects us in kind of a good way but there is there the interview with a GP that turns that around and the person talks about how there are already problems providing NHS service to people now. Despite the fact that David Cameron’s intentions may be good, there is always a negative side to it.  This is prominent news because David Cameron is a public figure, and this type news is more newsworthy.

Another story mentioned in the radio is of ‘revenge porn’. This newscast included an interview as well, but this time is was with someone with less status and importance compared to the prime minister. This newscast mentions how people – even from the young age of 11 – are victims of revenge porn. The interview with one of the victims - Hannah Thompson – talks about that no one should be ashamed if It has happened to them. This particular story wouldn’t exactly appeal to everyone so this wouldn’t be a lead story. However, it is interesting because you find out that problems like this actually occur in the country, the world.

The last newscast mentioned toddlers having cavities from as young as 3 months because of parents allowing their children to have a lot of sugar. This type of story wouldn’t typically been seen on TV let alone heard on the radio so it unconventional for this radio to include that story. Although, because the target audience are definitely adults, the majority of the listeners may be parents of young children so it would appeal to them and interest them.