Week 9: Analysis of Channel 5 Eyewitness News at 5:30

I watched the Sunday, April 2nd Channel 5 News at 5:30. The breakdown of stories follows.



(Reader = Anchor reads news with no video, VO = Anchor "Voice's Over" video, VOSOT = Voice Over Sound on Tape [interview], PKG = news package)

Opening Story: (regional) Anchors Introduced a reporter live at the scene of the flooding in Crookston, MN. He then pitched his package on the "voluntary evacuation" and the possible danger of any more flooding. = 2:30

Reader w/ Graphics: (regional) Pawlenty sends out National Guard to aid in flood relief. = :25

VO: (regional) Fargo homeowners taking flood danger too lightly. = :20

First Look Weather: (local) Tie in from Daylight Savings time. Heavy rain on the radar. Also mentioned no rain in Fargo at this time. = :55

VO: (local) Innocent mystery shooting victim identified

PKG: People react to shooting. Bouquet of flowers at scene. Random man on street weighs in. = 1:40

VOSOT: (local) Mayor walks downtown at night to show that it is safe (with plenty of security...) = :25

VOSOT: (??) Train slips off track to to Caustic Soda = :40

Reader w/ Graphic: Caustic Soda is explained = :10

PKG: (local) Car misses exit ramp on 494 and ends up in pond. Drunk driver flees scene, no one else in vehicle. = 1:10

VOSOT: (local) Missing Rochester woman and son not found in Montana. = 1:00

VOSOT: (local) First Lady helping military families. = :40

TEASERS = 1:00

Break 1

VO: (national) Reporter Jill Carrol Back Home. = :25

VOSOT: (local) Fridley Family escapes fire, doesn't know where to go now. = :30

VOSOT: (local) Minnesotans finally get home from Jamaica after NWA cancelled flights due to mechanical problems. People's reaction. = :40

VO: (local) Peta protestors outside of KFC. = :30

VOSOT: (local) Minnesota students at science fair. = :40

WEATHER: = 3:30

ABC Teasers: New episodes of Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy. Also teased 10 o'clock news and sports. = 1:55

Break 2

Highlights: (local) Detroit RedWings come to Minn. to take on Wild. = :35

Highlights: (local) Wolves vs. Warriors. Wolves win in OT = :40

VOSOT: (local) Twins opener coming up on Tuesday. = :35

VO: (national) Phil Mickelson wins Bell South. = :25

Close: :30

Analysis

This is not the first time that I have been asked to sit down, log the different segments of the news, and give my analysis. This is also not the first time that I felt that television news performed far below par.

It is my belief, and it has been defined in my media text books, that the purpose of the news media SHOULD be to "provide the public with the information they need to be free and self-governing." However, with its hyper-local content, the temptation of "compelling video," and the drive for ratings, most TV news stations fall short of that goal. Most often, they fill us full of sensational, unimportant tidbits or let us know about every fire or car accident in the metro area.

Besides during the rush hours, this is news that is likely of no use to the average citizen. However, since it oftentimes comes with compelling video, people are drawn to it anyway.

Sunday night's Channel 5 Eyewitness news at 5:30 was no exception. After subtracting commercials, teases, sports, and weather, the half-hour broadcast only produced approximately 11 minutes and 45 seconds of "news." Of that nearly 12 full minutes, nearly four minutes was filled with interesting video of unimportant events such as a house fire, a man driving into a lake, a science fair, and a Peta protest outside of KFC. Now while there may have been a real story behind all of these events, Channel 5 just used the video to give a broad swipe of what was going on.

Obviously, TV news uses compelling video and witty, oftentimes misinterpreted writing to attract viewers. By keeping a majority of their stories under 40 seconds, TV news creates an atmosphere of excitement and urgency, and can throw a variety of different things at the audience. The packages that are over 40 seconds need to make an even better use of video, natural sound, and narration to keep the eyeballs there. That is why most of these packages are done as cutesy "features;" fun stories with great video and sound, but often not very important.

After all, the more viewers the news can bring to a station, the more the station can charge for advertising, meaning the more money the station makes. So while the purpose of the news media should be to "provide the public with the information they need to be free and self-governing," it in all actuality provides them with video that will get them to "stay tuned," and hopefully catch the advertisements.