The Activity Of Different Media - Essay Example

The Activity Of Different Media Part A: Media Analysis Balance 1. The daily newspaper ‘The Straits Times’ published in Singapore is one among the oldest regional English-language newspapers. First published on July 15, 1845, The Straits Times is the most generally read newspaper in Singapore. The Straits Times endeavors to be a classic supplier of news, views, entertainment and other contents with particular focus on Singapore and Asian regions. With 9 agencies in Asia and a global network, this newspaper has a perfect balance between news, entertainment and other relevant contents. 2. The radio station 90.5 fm based in Singapore includes news and current affairs in the daily output. Gold 90.5 FM plays ‘Classic Hits all Day’ sweeping the sixties to the nineties. The station presents many lifestyle sections to those who apprize better things in life. There is a fine balance within news programs, entertainment programs like music, chat shows etc. 3. CNN is an international news channel having its branches in Singapore as well. Being a news channel it gives priority to news rather than entertainment. However there is an essential balance among news, entertainment and other contents. The channel is characterized by a squad of proficient reporters located all over the world, vigilant 24 hours a day. Style 1. The Straits Times has a unique style of writing news and other content. The news is published in a very easy to understand language. The words are the simplest. 2. The Singapore radio station 90.5 fm programs mostly aired are regional news, international news, entertainment programs like music- songs, plays, and live sports broadcasting etc. The language is very clear; the words very easy to follow. 3. Besides news the CNNTV also telecast chat shows, sports reviews and many other entertainment programs. The style and language are very simple and adorable. The readers make a flawless presentation with meaningful words and powerful delivery. News Value 1. The Strait Times being a news paper gives a higher value to news than the other contents like entertainment, puzzles etc. The most important and latest news are given the top most priority which is followed by comparatively smaller news. 2. Singapore radio station 90.5 fm is more of an entertainment media and less of a news media. Thus the news value is comparatively lower than the news papers. It is not that it lacks news programs; but it is considered next to the entertainment like music and chat shows. 3. Being a news channel the CNNTV always give priority to news instead of entertainment programs. Constraints of the Media 1. There are some constraints or limitations for the news paper since it cannot print or show live and current news. They lack the immediacy and liveliness that comes through human voice and visuals. 2. Unlike the news paper, the radio can report live news but the main limitation is the lack of visuals. The listeners have to rely completely on the sounds. Another limitation of the radio is that it gets only a little time to present all the news—sometimes only seconds, at the most one or two minutes for a piece of news. A third major limitation is the fact that radio news cannot be stored and retrieved for future reference. 3. In case of news channel it showcases plenty of pictures and videos to show the news the way it is. This makes it dearer to the public, for they get a closer feeling of reality. However, it cannot be stored like a newspaper and be referred back when a need arise. This is one major deficiency of the medium. Again like radio, TV also suffers the time constraint. When newspapers can showcase large volumes of reading content spread across columns and pages, the TV has to limit it into fragments of time-sometimes minutes, sometimes only a few seconds for a news item. These are the two major setbacks of the TV as a medium. Significance of Geographic Location, Audience and News Organization Policy 1. The news in The Straits times largely depends on the geographical position. News related to East and Middle Asia gets a greater prominence. And also American and European news where Singapore’s business ties have big connections. With the change in position the news also varies. In the same manner the news varies with the kind of audience and The Straits Times’ policy. 2. The programs, especially news aired by the radio station covers mostly national news with an immediate impact on citizenry and governance. Also national and international relations get a prime place. 3. The news channel CNNTV prevails all over the world but the news broadcasted every where is different from each other. Even with its American roots, the channel caters decently to its Singaporean audience with content related to life and business in Singapore, and the nations network with other countries worldwide. Part B: News Story Analysis A] Seoul- North Korea’s armed forces jeopardized on Friday to retaliate if South Korea moves ahead with a plotted live-fire practice on a border island which the communist state blasted last month. News Criteria 1] Timeliness: Last Friday. 2] Proximity: Seoul- North Korea 3] Sensation: The armed forces threatened to strike back. Communication Clarity 1] What: North Korea warns. 2] Who: North Korea’s armed forces 3] Where: Seoul 4] When: Last Friday 5] Why: South Korea plotted live-fire exercise. 6] How: Jeopardizing Quality of Construction 1]The structure employed for many hard news stories is inverse in kind to that broadly applied in fiction or drama writing. 2] It is named as the ‘inverted pyramid. First: most important information- information of greatest interest or impact to audience. 3] Second amplification, detail, ‘retelling in more depth. 4] Next secondary or explanatory information retelling with even more depth, including quotes as appropriate. Last: fine detail and tangential information. 5] The quality of construction greatly depends on strength of lead, selection of quotes and the usage of the inverted pyramid. Exploitation of the Medium 1] The news story is deeply related to the medium. 2] Without the sounds and images it would not be possible to write news. 3] Therefore the video clips and photos are very crucial to increase the credibility of news. 4] Similarly the description of news directly from the spot is equally important. 5] Without the use of these three components vibrancy of news would be much less. B] A machine operator would put on a surgical mask when he predated on young women in the Jurong West area. His dispirit was distinctly apparent on Friday when he was condemned to 5 years in prison and 18 shots of the cane for harassing 5 women, 3 at knife point. News Criteria 1] Timeliness: Last Friday. 2] Proximity: Jurong West 3] Sensation: preyed on young women. Communication Clarity 1] What: Five women molested. 2] Who: A machine operator. 3] Where: Jurong West 4] When: Last Friday 5] Why: killer instinct 6] How: at knife point Quality of Construction 1]The structure employed for many hard news stories is inverse in kind to that broadly applied in fiction or drama writing. 2] It is named as the ‘inverted pyramid. First: most important information- information of greatest interest or impact to audience. 3] Second amplification, detail, ‘retelling in more depth. 4] Next secondary or explanatory information retelling with even more depth, including quotes as appropriate. Last: fine detail and tangential information. 5] The quality of construction greatly depends on strength of lead, selection of quotes and the usage of the inverted pyramid. Exploitation of the Medium 1] The news story is deeply related to the medium. 2] Without the sounds and images it would not be possible to write news. 3] Therefore the video clips and photos are very crucial to show the credibility of news. 4] Similarly the description of news directly from the spot is equally important. 5] Without the use of these three components generating news would have been impossible. C] Singapore pocketed 2 more bronze medals on Friday at the Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China. That brings the Republic’s tally to 4 bronzes in as many days of contention. News Criteria 1] Timeliness: Last Friday. 2] Proximity: Guangzhou, China 3] Sensation: Singapore bagged two more bronze medals Communication Clarity 1] What: two more bronze medals: 2] Who: Singapore 3] Where: Guangzhou, China 4] When: Last Friday 5] Why: 6] How: Asian Para Games Quality of Construction 1]The structure employed for many hard news stories is inverse in kind to that broadly applied in fiction or drama writing. 2] It is named as the ‘inverted pyramid. First: most important information- information of greatest interest or impact to audience. 3] Second amplification, detail, ‘retelling in more depth. 4] Next secondary or explanatory information retelling with even more depth, including quotes as appropriate. Last: fine detail and tangential information. 5] The quality of construction greatly depends on strength of lead, selection of quotes and the usage of the inverted pyramid. Exploitation of the Medium 1] The news story is deeply related to the medium. 2] Without the sounds and images it would not be possible to write news. 3] Therefore the video clips and photos are very crucial to show the credibility of news. 4] Similarly the description of news directly from the spot is equally important. 5] Without the use of these three components generating news would have been impossible. D] IBM has declared collaboration with Singapore’s public agencies with intentions to amend the tone of the republic’s urban services. News Criteria 1] Timeliness: Last Friday. 2] Proximity: Singapore 3] Sensation: IBM has announced collaboration with Singapore’s public agencies. Communication Clarity 1] What: Collaboration with Singapore’s public agencies 2] Who: IBM 3] Where: Singapore 4] When: Last Friday 5] Why: To improve the tone of the republic’s urban services 6] How: Quality of Construction 1]The structure employed for many hard news stories is inverse in kind to that broadly applied in fiction or drama writing. 2] It is named as the ‘inverted pyramid. First: most important information- information of greatest interest or impact to audience. 3] Second amplification, detail, ‘retelling in more depth. 4] Next secondary or explanatory information retelling with even more depth, including quotes as appropriate. Last: fine detail and tangential information. 5] The quality of construction greatly depends on strength of lead, selection of quotes and the usage of the inverted pyramid. Exploitation of the Medium 1] The news story is deeply related to the medium. 2] Without the sounds and images it would not be possible to write news. 3] Therefore the video clips and photos are very crucial to show the credibility of news. 4] Similarly the description of news directly from the spot is equally important. 5] Without the use of these three components generating news would have been impossible. E] A Qantas plane that had one of its 4 engines shut down mid-flight landed safely in Singapore on Thursday morning, the airline told. News Criteria 1] Timeliness: Last Thursday 2] Proximity: Singapore 3] Sensation: Plane in distress land safely in Singapore. Communication Clarity 1] What: Plane in distress land safely in Singapore. 2] Who: Qantas plane. 3] Where: Singapore 4] When: Last Thursday 5] Why: Due to failure of one of the four engines. 6] How: During the flight. Quality of Construction 1]The structure employed for many hard news stories is inverse in kind to that broadly applied in fiction or drama writing. 2] It is named as the ‘inverted pyramid. First: most important information- information of greatest interest or impact to audience. 3] Second amplification, detail, ‘retelling in more depth. 4] Next secondary or explanatory information retelling with even more depth, including quotes as appropriate. Last: fine detail and tangential information. 5] The quality of construction greatly depends on strength of lead, selection of quotes and the usage of the inverted pyramid. Exploitation of the Medium 1] The news story is deeply related to the medium. 2] Without the sounds and images it would not be possible to write news. 3] Therefore the video clips and photos are very crucial to show the credibility of news. 4] Similarly the description of news directly from the spot is equally important. 5] Without the use of these three components generating news would have been impossible. Read More