Tornadoes Hit Southern US - BBC Broadcast
Tornadoes Hit Southern US - Sky Broadcast
Introduction
The following is a comparative analysis between a Commercial Broadcaster (Sky News) and a Public Service Broadcaster (BBC). The videos being studied in this report are on the tornadoes that struck the Southern United States last April. The report will look at the videos through the various different analysis approaches studied throughout the semester. While looking at the videos from the different analysis approaches the main focus will be on whether the news media can continue to act as producers of meaning whilst remaining within the structures of formal rules about impartiality.
Reality
The reality being put forward in both reports is of the destruction and chaos that has been left behind in the wake of another natural disaster. Regardless of whether or not there was any media present to record this event it would have happened. From an analysis point of view this is known as a genuine event. To look at the event from a visually literate standpoint we have to ask ourselves four question; why, when, what and how.
Why was it produced in this way?
Both reports detail the destruction caused by the storms. The BBC report starts with a shot of a tornado as it cuts its path of destruction through the roadways. This then cuts to an eyewitness report followed by several aerial shots of wrecked homes and vehicles ending with a statement from the governor of North Carolina. This style of reporting allows the viewer to see how the damage was caused, the aftermath and what is being done by the officials to assist those who were affected.
The Sky News report however starts with shots of photographs of a family who were killed during the storms, then to a shot of their cat who managed to survive. This style of introduction aims to connect the viewer with the story on an emotional level. This then cuts to an interview with a relative of the victims, inter cut with shots of the destruction. This then moves to a second interview with a survivor of the storms and his account of what happened. Many of the shots used during the report are the same as the BBC’s report indicating that both broadcasters sourced their footage from the same place.
When was it produced/distributed?
Both reports were distributed on the 18th of April; two days after the events took place. This allowed time for accurate facts to be sourced and any speculation could be ruled out which many broadcasters fail to do.
What are the effects of the text on the audience?
The BBC report presents the facts of what happened in a straight forward progression of shots. The use of the particular shot sequence described above would make the user feel sorry for the victims and instil feelings of emotion in an indirect manner. The Sky News report however goes directly for an emotional connection straight away through the shots of the photographs. Both reports only show a snapshot of the devastation caused by the disaster even though this type of tragedy has wider social effects. These would include the displacement of family members and health issues.
How is the meaning made?
The message being brought across in both reports is of the damage and destruction caused and how the survivors and relatives are going through an emotional time. This is seen in both clips through the lingering shots on destroyed vehicles and buildings. The interviews with people affected by the disaster and shots victims photographs help to deliver the emotional message being made.
Preferred Meaning and Circuit of Culture
The preferred meaning in these pieces of media is of how quickly and easily our possessions can be taken from us in a matter of minutes by the forces of nature and we are powerless to stop it.
Re-Presentation
The re-presentation of the media is provided to us in different ways using various different elements such as graphics, tone, accents. The BBC report uses graphics when the governor of Carolina is talking; this provides the viewer with a visual inclination as to where the disaster has occurred. The Sky News report on the other hand has no visual aids forcing the viewer to rely on the audio for information. Neither of the clips uses music as they are both of a headline style of presentation. Throughout the clips there is a sombre tone due to the nature of the report.
Identity
The identity of the broadcasters can be easily distinguished from the logos located in the top left hand corner of the videos. The identities are also identified when the reporters sign off at the end of the clips. Both broadcasters would be recognised globally as they both have worldwide representations.
Production
Both broadcasters have produced their reports by utilising all resources available to them to present as much of the facts as possible in the short space of time available to them. This was managed by using a multitude of aerial shots which provided more information than if they were to use all close ups.
Consumption
How viewers consume a piece like this may depend on their physical location. For instance, the piece may have more of an impact on viewers in America as tragedies like this are frequent and they may know of the pain and emotion the victims are going through, whereas viewers from Ireland may only consume the place that it happened in and when as they may not be as familiar with this type of incident.
Regulation
Regulation is controlled by the Broadcasting Standards Commission (BSC), which was set up as part of the Broadcasting Act of 1996, covers the BBC and all private broadcasters in the UK. Its main functions are to produce codes of conduct relating to fairness, privacy and standards. Monitor, conduct research and compile reports on standards and fairness as well as receiving and adjudicating upon complaints from the general public.
Both of the broadcasters have produced their reports in such a way that they are not at risk of coming into conflict with the regulations set out by the BSC.
Conversationalisation
Throughout both pieces of media we can hear simple easy to understand language and words that help to reinforce the destruction that was caused and help us to imagine the events as they unfolded.
Examples of this in the BBC report include; “ripped through seven states” and “massive cloud of debris” this gives us an idea as to the scale of the storms and how widespread they were. “Houses obliterated” and “cars and trucks were picked up and tossed around like toys”. Both of these quotes tells us how powerless people were to protect their belongings.
Similarly the Sky News report uses similar phrases that give an impression of the devastation and sheer raw power of the tornadoes. “Tornado devastated the small town” and “tore through the state in minutes”. Even though people were expecting these types of storms we are informed that they have not been this bad in several years; “storms worst in a generation”.
Form of News
Most news reports take on a form similar to that seen in most fictional pieces that create a sense of drama and excitement for the audience watching. This is evident in both reports. The BBC report starts out with an immediate verbal narration that accompanies the events happening on screen. This gives the images a meaning that may be missed if there was a lack of explanation. This then progresses onto a classic news style of presentation of providing the viewer with a close shot of the destruction caused followed by an overview shot of the city as the storms moved in, intercut with several more close shots of damage accompanied by an eyewitness report of the events.
The Sky News report follows a similar style by providing an initial close up of a demolished house cut in with an interview followed up with several overview shots of the total destruction caused in the area.
Linking/Connectivity
Connective links are present throughout both reports, provided by the narrator’s comments, which remind the viewer as to what the report is about. This is heard in the BBC report at the start when the initial shot of a tornado is seen with the phrase “one of the tornadoes as it touches down”, this is reconnected towards the end of the clip with the phrase “start of the tornado season”.
The Sky report uses a similar style of connection in that it mentions that a “tornado devastated the small town”, this is heard at the beginning of the clip with the shots of the destroyed home. The connection is made towards the middle of the clip through the use of the phrase “tornado tore through the state in minutes”.
Television News
Market demands have dictated the content that is produced; however both broadcasters are required to adhere to public service broadcasting principles when outputting news production. This ensures that there would be no political bias within a news report or that any point of view was given a particular prominence.
Neither the BBC nor Sky report contains a biased approach to the information being presented. Both reports detail the facts as they happened. This may be due to the nature of the content being reported as they are detailing a natural disaster and does not contain a political agenda where biased opinions may appear.
Many news broadcasters lately are adopting a tabloid style approach to the presentation of their reports in order to attract more viewers. It may be possible to see this style present in the clips detailed here, in that the producers are going for a fictional style storytelling as described earlier.
Rules of Impartiality
Impartiality is the notion of presenting information by not favouring one side or the other. The approach of impartiality varies depending on the nature of the information being reported, the channel that is providing the programme. There are three points in particular that influence news presentation:
5.1 News, in whatever form, must be reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.
5.2 Significant mistakes in news should normally be acknowledged and corrected on air.
5.3 No politician may be used as a newsreader, interviewer or reporter in any news programme.
Due to the nature of both reports they have both complied with the rules of impartiality as set out by Ofcom.
Conclusion
From analysing the two clips under the above analysis approaches, it could be said that the news media are able to produce meaning whilst remaining within the structures of formal rules of impartiality. This however may be due to the nature of the studied clips. As they were detailing a natural disaster there would be no reason for having an impartial or biased approach to the story.
