FACTUAL PROGRAMMING THEORY

What is Factual Programming?

Factual Programming (commonly known as a Documentary) is in the form of a TV/Film/Radio programme which provides a factual report on a known subject. Factual Programming has been believed to have been around since the year 1897, yet not given a name until over 20 years later in the year 1926. 

There are a few different types of documentaries using different narrations. 

1. Voice Over Narrator : The most traditional narrator, never usually seen and may not really know much about the subject they're talking, but does read of a script (usually) and the recorded audio goes over the top of the Documentary
2. Silent Narration : This narration usually uses title screens, allowing whoever watching the programme, able to read the facts/figure off the screen. They are usually held on screen for around 5-10 seconds.
3. Hosted Narrator : In this style, there is a host who appears on camera, conducts interviews, and who also does voice-overs.

The Ken Burns Effect, is a Documentary type which usually only uses  Voice Over Narrator. The duration of the Documentary only uses photos or videos, what happens is the images usually slide across the screen or zoom from the out to in, or the in to the out, while the narrator talks about the subject. In my opinion you usually find these Documentaries on youtube because they seem to be the obvious easier one to do.

ISSUES
One of the main issues about Documentaries are if they are about a certain group/person, them people will always be bias about their opinion and won't consider anyone else's opinion. This could bring uproar upon social medias, news, etc. If the Documentary gets a lot of attention due to the opinions of others what the rest of the world may find wrong. Another thing is that a few Documentaries are actually seen as racist or discriminative which again can cause uproar and however it will give it a lot of attention but certainly for all the wrong reasons. 



NEWS PROGRAMMES

• Studio News Reporters - E.G The most notable ones from Channel 4 News.

• Field Reporters - Someone usually never in the studio, but rather at the scene of the incident 

 

• Interviewing experts and witnesses - By interviewing people who witnessed and event, the audience get a bit more of an insight on the story.

• Report structure  - The way the news is told ; Main Story in Studio/Go to Field Reporter at scene/ Shows interviews /Back to Studio