Journalistic Languages Lecture 7

1.      Script for live as well as recorded programs (for anchors i.e. OC)

2.      Journalism and society (not part of course/paper, just for general understanding asto why societies need journalism)

 

1. Script of OC

Introduction

Besides writing the script of his/her own report/package, a reporter also has to write a short script for anchorperson (OC) who will briefly introduce both the reporter and the report.

Difference between ‘As live’ and ‘live’

As Live

Most of the reports are “as live”, which means that the channel shows/pretends as if the reporter is live from the scene but actually, most reports are pre-recorded in “live” format.

‘Real’ Live

If a journalist is experienced, or the situation demands i.e. if it is an extremely important news/event (exclusive), then the channel takes the risk of broadcasting live reports (still with a time delay mechanism (also called broadcast delay or deferred live) generally from three to seven seconds or more “to avoid airing footage or views causing public nuisance” PEMRA).

Writing of OC

This script is similar to that we write for headlines or tickers.

We pick up the major introductory words from intro (what, where, why, when), and who is reporting it.

Different formats of presenting the OC

1.      Normally, the anchor person reads the OC, introducing the report topic and the place. Then says; “more from our reporter Momina” or “more from Momina” or any other creative way

2.      Sometimes the anchor just introduces the report (and not the reporter) and then says: “more in this report”. This might be because;

a)      The reporter must not have sent OC,

b)      The report might have been prepared (voiced over) by a news staff member in the studio (not reporter). This happens when monitoring desk staff (those reporters/editors or any of the staff members who have been assigned the duty to monitor local, national or global media and pick up/copy one or two relevant or interesting news report from it. S/he copies the news and visuals but narrates it in their own broadcast language. Such reports are usually not introduced with the name of the person who did VO. But sometimes the person may insist, so the news in-charge may allow this, or forbid it.

3.      Sometimes the anchor introduces the reporter at the end (when the report ends and the broadcast screen switches back to the studio). For instance, Usama Khan was reporting about Universities’ closure in Peshawar due to corona”.

4.      Finally, the anchor person sometimes introduces the report/reporter both in start and at the end. It is upto the conventions/routines of the channel or habits of news in charge or insistence by the reporter. So there are no hard and fast rules

We will watch a few videos now

 

Part 2

Journalism in the service/disservice of a particular class or society?

Let’s ask ourselves a few questions

1.      Is the social world a better place to live in?

2.      If not, what role human beings have played or are playing in making the social existence ugly?

3.      Can the social world be improved? How?

4.      Should we understand the social world? Why?

5.      What are social sciences for?

One of the numerous approaches to understanding the society (social world) is approaching it through its contradictions (inequalities) because inequality is the biggest ill which makes social life ugly, is the reason behind wars, conflicts and poverty. Looking clearly through the social crakes, which for most part are shrouded in different ideological numbing smoke, requires critical social theory.

 

The world is not an equal place. There are many glaring inequalities. These inequalities or contradictions (Marxist term) emerge or are created around too many markers/stratums (biological or socially/culturally created fault-lines).

For instance,

1.      Class: elite, middle, lower, working, toiling classes (elite or the owners of all the means of wealth i.e. land, business, factories, transport etc. and those who do not own anything except their labor (sweat and blood). Class is the central contradiction from which stem all other inequalities.

2.      Gender

3.      Ethnicity

4.      Caste

5.      Religion

6.      CenterVSperiphery (both geographical and political)

Geographical: Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi get most of the media coverage (time and space) as compared to other peripheral areas.

Politically (in terms of political significance): i.e. Christians though (geographically) are living in the heart of Peshawar or Islamabad, but are either absent from our mainstream media’s agenda or are under-represented)

 

The elite (ruling classes) always try to conceal/hide these contradictions (through ideologies) and instead engage/distract working class people into apolitical fictitious dreams (Fashion, consumerism, sex or corruption scandals of elite etc.)

The function of social theory (journalism included) is to invent tools to enable people to identify/locate these contradictions, fault lines, and then devise planning for how to make the world a just place and then Act.

So journalism is not just the technical skills (how to write headlines, ticker etc.), but a democratic watchdog and a mass critical educational tool deployed for building an information-based society in which it is easier and clear to understand the human conditions, sufferings and oppression, and then name and resist exploitative social and political regimes/practices. To be able to do this, first we need to equip ourselves with all the instruments and conceptual tools of social and comm