Unit 27: Factual Programming

Factual programs are any show based on fact, this could include news, reality Tv, documentaries and many others. Factual Tv in England makes up a whole 90% of the television whilst the other is made up of non fiction.

This brings up the question what makes a program factual? I believe that a factual program always has to be proven if it can’t be proven and is based on theories it can’t be fact. There is cases where this doesn’t apply for example the program “Ghost hunters” where people believe there are ghosts and they think its a fact that there there whilst others are sceptical. If say about 100 believe that something is a fact does it make it a fact?

Over the years news in general has been viewed mainly by the older generation today in my class my teacher asked students if they watched the news there was a few but not many. After that my teacher asked how many people watch Xfactor a factual program still as reality shows still are fact, there here a significant increase of people who put there hands up. This shows us that factual programing for the younger generation is based around entertainment. Programs like big brother would have no interest in most of the older generation whilst for younger viewers it appeals to them more.

The way we retrieve information can be split into 2 categories…

Primary research- Is original research somebody does themselves usually through questionnaires, interviews, focus groups etc.
Secondary research- Is research that somebody else has done. It is much easier to use previous research than trying to gather your own.

CONVENTIONS FOR NEWS

Information- Factual genre (evidenced through data and quotes- remember to put sources.)

Formal language

Interviews

Public opinion (also known as VOX POPS)

Piece to Camera (PTC)- can be sign off or introduction. PTC is every time we see a presenter talking to camera

Cut aways (C/A) use audio from cutaways for atmospheric sound