The
branding of news programmes such as BBC News, heavily influenced our approach
of boldness alongside seriousness and simplicity when developing the brand of
the YouTube news channel, Game-Over. For example, our use of the sharp and
straightforward colours, red, black and white allow for the impression of
intelligibility, rather than using overly broad and seemingly immature
colourings that could be seen as insincere for the styling of a news channel.
As
human-interest news stories are focused on those that relate directly to the
audience, they seem to be strongly appealing to viewers. As it’s said that ‘If news
is to be worthwhile, it should accord to something we value.’ (Chapman, 2009:
59). So it was decided that our channel would be based on video games and why
they are being released unfinished. This decision was also due to the rise of
social interest in video game news reporting. For example, the popularity of
the television gaming news channel, GINX is rising. With their ratings growing
by ‘59% year on year’ (Develop, 2015) and their programmes ‘available in 26
million homes globally’ (Develop, 2015). Therefore being that news content’s
focus is on the contemporary and current matters, a video game news channel
ties in with this in today’s culture.
Other
news channels such as The Know, a popular online YouTube video gaming news
channel, also influenced the branding of Game-Over. Such as the use of a
geometric green screen background, electronica music and the use of GFX (The Know, 2014). These aspects of the
programme are used frequently and appear to be effectively visually stimulating
for young gaming audiences.
AUDIENCE RESEARCH
BBC
News is also a prime example when discussing the popularity of news around the
world. For example, recent figures revealed that BBC News’ weekly global
audience ‘has increased by … 7 per cent since last year, to a record-breaking
283 million’ (BBC Media Centre, 2015) meaning that ‘one in every 16 adults
around the world uses BBC News’ (BBC Media Centre, 2015). While in 2012 it was
found that the audience of news channels such as BBC News, Sky News and Sky Sports
News were mostly over 35 years old (OFCOM, 2012). Although, it seems that the
topic of news can allow the age range of different news programmes’ demographics
to vary.
With
experience of our own as a gaming audience, as well as conducting research into
who the target audience of a video gaming news channel is, there is a variety
of statistical information to support our findings. The target age of the news
channel is fifteen to thirty-five year olds. This is due to the fact that as of
2015, the highest percentage of game players is ‘30% 18 to 35 years’ (Theesa,
2015). However, 26% of gamers are under 18 years old (Theesa, 2015), therefore
the target audience for the channel consists of the two statistics combined.
When
looking into the gender of a target audience for a gaming news channel, it is
found that 56% of game players are male, while 44% of game players are female
(Theesa, 2015). As these percentages are extremely close to the population of
gamers being half male and half female, Game-Over’s content is able to appeal
to both genders with video game content.
A
more recent development in news is the audience’s ability to comment and
connect directly with news channels and their stories, mainly doing so online.
For example, BBC News has their own page called Have Your Say, a page on their
website focused solely on viewers discussing current news items, as well as the
public sharing stories of their own (BBC News Have Your Say, 2015). Game-Over
incorporates the technique of the viewer becoming involved and sharing their
own opinions by directly stating ‘let us know with your comments’ (Game-Over: Why are Video Games Being
Released Unfinished? 2015) alongside on-screen information of Twitter, YouTube
and the channel website links. Allowing the channel to be as modern and current
as other popular news channels by having the audience become a part of the
discussion.
PLATFORM RESEARCH
There
are four main platforms in which the news is presented to the public, these are
television, radio, print and most recently, online. While it appears that
audiences of television news channels such as BBC News are slowly growing, it
would seem that over the years, digital media could be overtaking other
platforms in news reporting. As of 2013, ‘72% of adults get most news from
friends and family, including social media’ (Teckel, 2013) and it has been
found that over 50% of smartphone and tablet owners get news on their device
every week (Teckel. 2013). The sources of new media news reporting includes on
demand broadcasting websites such as YouTube and television channels’ own
websites such as 4OD and newspaper websites, for instance, The Guardian. As well
as this, social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook are also used as a
method of the public sharing and discussing news stories with others.
While
there are negatives to the introduction of new media news reporting, for
example, the 27% reduction of printed newspaper staff between 2006 and 2011
(Teckel, 2013). It has been found that there are a number of positives to the
digital age and reasons as to why it is appealing to the public. These
including that due to the costs of production in television before digital
media, broadcasters had needed to ‘reach several hundred thousand viewers in
order to run a sustainable service … digital broadcasting has a far cheaper
cost of entry and offers interactivity, thus undermining older business models’
(Chapman, 2009: 44) and the fact that new media allows there to be ‘content
available anytime and anywhere on a wide variety of platforms’ (Chapman, 2009:
42).
When
discussing news reporting on YouTube, it has been found that the website is
becoming a successor for the publics’ news reports. As ‘in 2011 and early 2012,
the most searched term of the month on YouTube was a news related event five
out of 15 months’ (Pew Research Center, 2012). Among a recent study conducted
by Pew Research, certain facts were discovered about YouTube and news:
- ‘At any given moment news can outpace even
the biggest entertainment videos.’ (Pew Research Center, 2012)
- ‘The most popular news videos are a mix of
edited and raw footage.’ (Pew Research Center, 2012)
- ‘Citizens play a substantial role in
supplying and producing footage.’ (Pew Research Center, 2012)
Not
only do a large amount of news channels such as Sky News and CNN have their own
YouTube channels to present its audience with snippets of their programmes, but
YouTube also has a variety of user-generated content in news. It is said that ‘The
internet shapes the media landscape towards a more decentralized and
community-orientated form of publishing, media organizations are no longer
gatekeepers of information’ (Chapman, 2009: 14), meaning that it could be
argued that first hand or eye witness citizen journalism could be a more
credible source of reporting as it’s not being presented by journalists being
influenced by media organisations.
In
relation, Game-Over is presented in a new media style, broadcast as a YouTube
news channel. The programme uses the tools that have been created with the
digital age of reporting by including the combination of classic in-studio reporting
from a professional along with formal interviews, as well as new media content
such as incorporating the public’s opinions through the discussion of Twitter
posts and the use of user-generated video gameplay footage. All of which are
influenced by the normalities of news reporting within the digital media
platform.
NEWS STORY RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT
There
are key parts of a news channel’s agenda in reporting, the structure of which
consists of presenting the ‘coming up’ section, reporting the stories of the
day in certain styles and incorporating presenter types, the brand and
locations into the structure. For example, a serious and well-respected news
programme such as ITV News consists of two well-presented and stern in-studio
presenters, one male and one female (ITV
News, 2015). Not only is the use of a female presenter now extremely common
in news, for instance the use of main BBC News presenter, Fiona Bruce, it is an
extreme contrast and break-through in news in comparison to only a few decades
ago. As in 1994, journalist Joanna Coles found in a survey that ‘most male and
female viewers didn’t have very much confidence in female news readers’ (J’Accuse The News, Part 2, 1994).
The modern use of female presenters on news channels allows Game-Over to use women in both its news package and OB and still have it remain very current. However, the two presenters are in contrast to each other, as the news package presenter, Lisa, has a typical news programme style of reporting and presentation (see fig. 2 & 3). Whereas the OB presenter Candice, has a much more upbeat style of presenting. That similar to the cheerful presentation of other gaming news channels such as Ginx and Rooster Teeth.
|
Fig. 2. Fiona Bruce – Biography
and Images (2015) |
|
Fig.
3. Game-Over Package Presenter (2015)
|
There
are typically two main types of in-studio locations used in news, these being a
studio set and the use of a green screen. Studio sets are most commonly used in
typical and generalised television news programming such as BBC News, ITV News
and Channel 4 News. Meanwhile, it is found that green screen sets our found in
smaller news productions such as BBC Three 60 Second News (BBC Three, 60 Seconds, 2015) and digital media platform news such
as YouTube news channels, including the aforementioned ‘The Know’. Similarly,
Game-Over involves the use of a green screen background transformed into a
geometric print, fitting with the conventions of a simplistic and relaxed style
of small new media news channels.
Often
in news, the branding and entertainment value can overtake the value and
importance of news stories. With the focus resting on the atmosphere that news
creates and the way in which the channel, programme and reporters are
advertised, this can often damage the amount of important information that is
communicated. Mark Tully, an ex BBC Correspondent, stated that the industry is
‘influenced by pressures, by what we think the viewers want to see, by what
other networks are doing … not out of any proper consideration of what we
should be doing’ (J’Accuse The News, Part
3, 1994) meaning that media organisations are influencing the amount of
GFX, incorporation of dramatic soundtracks and more popular human interest news
stories rather than hard-hitting journalism.
The
reason for this is said to be that it is to keep the audience entertained and
more likely to keep watching. BBC journalist Francis Wheen has pointed out that
news has developed ‘the need to have constant activity on screen. Because they
think that people will be bored if they don’t … use lots of studio gimmicks’ (J’Accuse The News, Part 1, 1994). While
this can occasionally be over-used in news programming as a way of advertising
and distracting the audience, by using a small amount of cutaway imagery in
Game-Over, it was found to be an effective way of supporting the information
and topic that was reported due to the relation between the images and the
discussions.
SCRIPTING AND
STORYTELLING
Game-Over’s
package and OB news story focuses on the topic: ‘why are video games being
released unfinished?’ The opportunity for this story was created when we found
our peg, that being the midnight launch of the video game Assassin’s Creed
Syndicate. When researching the Assassin’s Creed game series, it has been found
by gamers and customers to have a lot of problems in gameplay. Even Unity, the
most recent Assassin’s Creed release before Syndicate, has caused reviewers to
state that there is an ever-present ‘series-long frustration of your assassin
not doing quite what you want him to do’ (Sliva, 2014). The fact that the
series has glitches that increasingly frustrate gamers allowed the topic of
unfinished games to become a captivating human interest news story in
Game-Over’s news package, as well as the peg of an exciting game release in the
OB.
When
researching the approach of reporting a news story, it can be found that there
are a number of certain techniques that are used. For instance, when observing the
agenda of BBC News and ITV news, the storytelling style of both news channels
includes an in-studio introduction of the story, OOVs, cutaways, live piece to
camera shots, GFX imagery and interviews in almost every news story. It could
be said that using a variety of presentation techniques in storytelling allows
a more in depth and layered report of the story, at the same time as keeping
the audience entertained.
Game-Over’s
news story involves all of the mentioned techniques of reporting. Examples of
each feature are…
- Piece to camera reporting in the studio.
This
allowed for a conventional appearance in the reporting technique, similar to
most other news channels.
- The use of an OOV when presenting
on-screen video game glitch footage while the presenter simultaneously pin
points the exact issues in each clip.
It
was found that using an OOV to present the viewer with the factual information
on the issues of the game, coinciding with footage of the game itself, allowed
for a showing and telling approach that could be said to be more captivating
and entertaining than the presenter simply reporting the story in long piece to
camera shots.
- GXF imagery of game discs with statistics
presented in bold text. Also with the presenter vocally reporting the statistics.
While
it could be seen that overuse of GFX imagery can become distracting and take
away from the integrity and importance of the news story, it was found to be
effectively appealing for one use in Game-Over’s report.
- An interview between the presenter and a
gaming enthusiast university lecturer.
While
remaining conventional in news by using an interview with a professional to
gather further information, Game-Over stands out from other news reports by
dressing the set with sofas and gaming memorabilia to create a relaxed and
informal atmosphere during the interview.
- A cutaway to introduce the interview.
This
allowed for a brief visual introduction of the interviewee with a simultaneous
verbal introduction from the presenter. Again, allowing the viewer to be both
shown and told.
- Piece to camera reporting in the OB,
alongside interviews.
In
a conventional approach to live broadcast reporting, the presenter reports in a
continuous piece to camera shot, while interviewing customers on the street
about the topic of the game launch.
While
the set-up and scripting of Game-Over’s news story is slightly typical and
conventional for a news channel, the variety in approaches alongside an unusual
angle and topic allows it to stand out from other news channels.
CRITICAL REFLECTIONS
& CONCLUSIONS
There
were a small amount of issues in the creation of Game-Over. For instance, the
original structure of the OB was changed to have a new location, new
interviewees, a new shooting time and a slightly different script due to last
minute changes in accessibility to film the original peg. However, issues such
as this were able to be quickly resolved in the short amount of time permitted,
and a new successful plan and structure was created for the OB. A great deal of
the channel’s quality is due to the large amounts of research conducted on not
only other video gaming news channels, but generic news channels also. This
research on a variety of areas in news allowed the structure and story in
Game-Over to obtain conventional news programming features, while still
perceiving the overall style and atmosphere that is found in video game news
channels.
It was found in the conducted research that news channels in modern times pay a large amount of attention to branding and advertising, entertainment in news is slowly becoming of more importance, there is a typical structure to the techniques of reporting news stories across all visual platforms, and new media is becoming the most used way for the public to become involved in the news. In relation to this, Game-Over fits successfully into the conventions of generic news channels and programmes, as well as having a fresh and contemporary take on the genre by being broadcast through new media.
Illustrations List:
Figure 1. BBC News Brand (2015) [Logo] At: http://tvforum.uk/thegallery/bbc-rebrand-2015-06-style-40590/page-3
(Accessed on 09.11.15)
Figure 2. Fiona Bruce – Biography and Images (2015)
[Image] At: http://tvnewsroom.org/biography-images/fiona-bruce-955/ (Accessed
on 13.11.15)
Figure. 3. Game-Over Package Presenter (2015)
[Image] At: http://meganwaterstv.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-max=2015-10-30T15:27:00Z&max-results=7
(Accessed on 13.11.15)
Bibliography:
Chapman, J. (2009) Broadcast Journalism [online] At:
http://ucca.ent.sirsidynix.net.uk/client/en_GB/default/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:224295/ada?qu=Broadcast+Journalism+a+Critical+introduction
(Accessed on 09.11.15)
Develop. (2015) Video Gaming Channel Ginx Looks to Raise
£540,000 and Give British Gaming Media a Power-Up [online press release]
At: http://www.develop-online.net/press-releases/videogaming-channel-ginx-looks-to-raise-pound-540-000-and-give-british-gaming-media-a-power-up/0213628
(Accessed on 10.11.15)
The
Know, Halo: The Master Chief Collection Multiplayer Having Problems [television
programme online] YouTube (2014) 1 min 20 sec At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GUsEj7-C1c
(Accessed on 10.11.15)
BBC Media Centre. (2015) BBC’s combined global audience revealed at
308 million [online press release] At: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2015/combined-global-audience
(Accessed on 11.11.15)
OFCOM. (2012) Channel Demographics [online press
release] At: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/cmr13/tv-audio-visual/uk-2.78
(Accessed on 11.11.15)
Theesa (2015) Essential Facts About the Computer and Video
Game Industry At: http://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/ESA-Essential-Facts-2015.pdf
(Accessed on 11.11.15)
BBC News Have Your Say
(2015) At: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/have_your_say (Accessed on 11.11.15)
Game-Over:
Why are Video Games Being Released Unfinished? [television
programme online] UCA. YouTube (2015) 2 mins 57 sec At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AvPOet4ivU
(Accessed on 11.11.15)
Teckel, G. (2013) Traditional Journalism: Is it Old News? At:
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/traditional-journalism-is-it-old-news.html
(Accessed on 12.11.15)
Pew Research Center
(2012) YouTube & News In: Journalism.org 16.07.12 [online] At: http://www.journalism.org/2012/07/16/youtube-news/
(Accessed on 12.11.15)
J’Accuse
The News, Part 1 [television programme online] BBC UK.
YouTube (1994) 10 mins At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIPQ37Asuz0
(Accessed on 13.11.15)
J’Accuse
The News, Part 2 [television programme online] BBC UK.
YouTube (1994) 9 mins At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lcoLAOuYko (Accessed
on 13.11.15)
J’Accuse
The News, Part 3 [television programme online] BBC UK.
YouTube (1994) 5 mins At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNerPyZ2fhg (Accessed
on 13.11.15)
BBC
Three, 60 Seconds [television programme online] BBC Three. YouTube
(2015) 1 min At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2MMQKKqMhY (Accessed on
13.11.15)
ITV
News. (2013) ITV1: 14 October. 18.30 hrs.
Sliva, M. (2014) 'Assassin's Creed Unity Review' In: IGN Articles [online] At: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2014/11/11/assassins-creed-unity-review (Accessed on
15.11.15)