Evaluation

Evaluation Questions

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? 

For this question, we used Prezi. This was so that we could should step by step how we answered/approached this question.

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

For answering our second question, we decided to use the format of Prezi; which is a presentation software. This way, by using this, you can clearly go through what we are explaining in terms of how our media product represents different but specific social groups (in terms of age, social class, disability etc...).

3. What kind of media institution would distribute your media product and why?

For this question, we decided to use Microsoft PowerPoint in which we would go through a step-by-step process of how our media product, which was our local news bulletin, would be distributed by specific institutions. After this was done, we used SildeShare to upload it onto. 

4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

To answer this question, we used a spider diagram format. This was because it would enable us and others to see comparisons of the variety of audiences that were/are trying to target and how news item may relate to these audiences.

*Click to zoom in*

5. How did you attract/address your audience?

For answering this question, we decided to record it. To do this we used Audacity, in which after the recording, we edited it and uploaded it onto SoundCloud as our finished item. Our question explored the different codes and conventions that we used in order to attract and also address our audience. 

6. What have you learnt about the technologies for the process of constructing this product?

For this question, we decided that we would use Camtasia 2 to produce the question. This was because we felt that it would be better for us to explain point-by-point what we learnt about using different technologies. Camtasia 2 allowed us to show you examples of what technologies we used as it filmed the screen and showed the PowerPoint that we were explaining; resulting in this piece of Software being the most useful for this type of particular question. After using Camtasia, we turned into a MP4 file, which we then uploaded to YouTube; then embedding the YouTube video of us answering the question into our Evaluation Sector of the Blog (seen below). 

7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

For this question, we used iMovie, in which we exported it and uploaded it unto YouTube, before embedding it unto our blogs. Using iMovie enabled us to explain in more depth what we learned in the progression towards fulfilling the full product; our finished local news bulletin.

Main Task

Experimenting with News Broadcasts

When creating a news item, you must be focusing on the challenges that may come with it. For example; to make a news item, it MUST be:

• Clear
• Informative
• Interesting

Another challenge is to make sure that everything that is needed to produce that news item, must be secure and absolutely reliable.

What this main task is asking us to do, is to produce a five minute news broadcast in which will be produced over a six week period. All the news that we receive within that six week period will be then packaged into a final broadcast, as if this news was happening at the same moment.

As we don't have the resources of a newsroom to be able to produce our news broadcast every hour of the day, the broadcasts would be compiled over a six week period.

Each news must be at least 30 seconds long and they must include: 

• Title Music
• At least one presenter
• At least two specialist reporters
• At least two OBs (Outside Broadcast)
• At least one interview
• Some sound effects 

The First Week

*Click to zoom in*

Website Link

http://www.kilburnliteraryfestival.co.uk/

Part of my job within this task, is to try and find local news items to include into our news broadcast.  Doing my job, I went through the West Hampstead Digital Newspaper, finding this, the first ever Kilburn Literary Festival. My next challenge was to try and construct a news angle. As we know, this is going to be the first ever literary festival in Kilburn; so I am going to want to know whether there will be another festival like this in Kilburn. This piece of news is a local news item, so it won't be placed too far to the top, as we will need to find a piece of breaking news that catches the attention of our audience.

Looking at this piece of local news in more depth, we find out that they are holding a series of activities during this festival; ranging from competitions to what will be happening during the course of the festival. Below, is an example of what the festival will consist of.

*Click to zoom in*

One challenge that I had discovered, was coming up with a script which we would follow in our first news item. This script that I had to do, had to be a natural flowing, and informative piece. To do this I had to practise writing the script, looking at parts that I had to make better.

Below we see the script that I have written a script, which we used to conduct the broadcast.

*click to zoom in*

With the script complete, we went ahead with recording our news item, which was the next challenging task ahead of us. To make this broadcast more realistic, we had to add a sort of audio to make the broadcast come together. This would help recording sound more realistic to an audience. Below you will see all the screenshots that we had taken, to show how we made the broadcast come together; from the editing to the final product. For our first news item, we had roles set out for each of us; the following being:

Presenter: Bradley Andrews

Guest: Celyn Dizon

Specialist Reporter: Edevi Awodey (Me)

Below you will see all the screenshots that we had taken, to show how we made the broadcast come together; from the editing to the final product.

Editing our First News Item

Using Audacity

When using Audacity to record and edit our news item, it consisted of use from these certain tools you see below:

As you can see below, it shows the certain tools that we need to edit our recordings.

Screenshot 1 & 2

*Click to zoom in*

*Click to zoom in*

• Here shows all the recordings of our first news item, before we went through with our editing process.

Screenshot 2 & 3

*Click to zoom in*

• Above, what you can see is us changing the name of the tracks so we know who is speaking in each recording. This is due to the various recording that did, we needed to fit the other recordings into where, us the broadcasters spoke (Another example inset). 

*Click to zoom in*

Above, this is our first radio recording done, that we shall be inserting into our five minute radio broadcast.

The Second Week

*Click to zoom in*

Website Link

http://www.intofilm.org/festival

The following week, we came across a film festival which was called the INTO Film Festival, which was an annual celebration of film and education for schools and young people around the UK. The main aim of this was that it was meant to attract children to inspiring young people to watch, make and understand film in new and creative ways. This event last from the 4th of November until the 21st of November.

Above, in the photo we see that it is showing the events that are most nearest to when people are living. It keeps people who are interested in going, informed on what's going on within their local area; what films will be being shown in whatever cinema closest to the consumer/customer.

*Click to zoom in*

Inset, you can see that this event has a variety of activities that you could choose from, ranging from educational resources to a wide choice of films to filmmaking masterclasses. In a way it allows them to access information interactively instead of only through sheets of paper. 

*Click to zoom in*

*Click to zoom in*

With the script set up, we went through with developing the news recording. This consisted with lots of recordings to get everything to sound pitch perfect. From removing background noise, to editing the recording to fit in a news item. Below, you will see various screenshots of all the work we did for this news broadcast, from start to finish. To make this broadcast also sound realistic, we had to add an SFX, which would make the news sound more appealing to our audience. In this broadcast the following roles were:

Presenter: Bradley Andrews

Guest: Celyn Dizon

Specialist Reporter: Edevi Awodey (Me)

Editing our Second News Item

To make our news item more realistic, we had to get some background noise to do this. We came across www.freesound.org which helped us get a background audio of 'children talking' during the broadcast.We looked through a wide range of audio, in which we (the group) thought of this to the best piece to embed in our news item.




Using Audacity

Screenshot 1

• What you are seeing here, is the audio from the presenter, the guest and the background music from the children talking in the background. 

Screenshot 2

• With the work of Celyn and myself, we needed to change the amplification of the guest audio in which would allow the guest and presenter to be heard within the broadcast. To do this, the highlighted audio (seen at the bottom of the screen) was brought to a lower amplification, so the radio would sound clearer to the audience.

Screenshot 3

*Click to zoom in*

• Above, we were in the process of importing our background audio for the news item, from Free Sound. For this we had to mute the other recordings that we had conducted so we wouldn't have any interference, from other pieces of audio we constructed.
  
  

Screenshot 4

• As said above, this was our completed news item in which included our presenter and our guest. As seen above, it shows the work we went through, editing the audio to make this news item work, before we embed the background audio into it.

Above is our finished recording for our second news item that we shall be placing in our completed radio broadcast (our main task).

The Third Week

*Click to zoom in*

Website Link

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/04/grand-theft-auto-5-kmart-target-pulling-game-sale

The following week, I had to find another news item to go into our radio broadcast. While going on The Guardian website, I came across a piece of news that was about particular video game; being GTA V being taken out of the market. The second biggest Australian retailer Kmart a joining Target in pulling the game out of their sales due to the campaign against the violence of women within the game(including the 'bashings and killings' you see within the game). Target started this trend as they responded to customer complaints which were sparked by an online petition which was posted by three women, who were victims of violence within the sex industry. 

News on this game sparks a lot of unrest due to the violence within it so it doesn't surprise us that there is majority concern on this; although its in the technology sector of news. A news value this presents is Impact. The impact is within the unrest and majority concern from the public of Australia who think the violence within the game is too much and is effecting everybody and those who find the violence against women to be a horrific crime in humanity. This can also be seen to be news worthy as it is about one of the biggest grossing games in the world at this minute and certain gamers or news readers might like to receive updates on the game and what is happening in-game and out-game (relations outside the game).

Below you'll see the script that we created to host our news item that we produced. (script pictured below). 

*click to zoom in*

Editing our Third News Item

While going through the process of editing this news item, we went about using Audacity to make the relevant changes we needed to do. Audacity, being a the audio recording and software it is, had many features to help better our news item. A particular tool that we used within the making of this recording, was the Selection Tool (pictured below). This helped us in removing parts of the news item that we didn't need. 

Screenshot 1

*Click to zoom in*

On the left, is a screenshot of a piece of audio that we had recorded for our news item. The highlighted part on the right shows the use of the selection tool; in which we took out a piece of audio that we didn't need. This was helpful as we only used parts that we're relevant to our news item; improving the quality of it.

Screenshot 2

*Click to zoom in*

Here, we organised the audios according the order of the transcript. Again, I used the selection tool in order to drag the pieces of audio to 0 to see how long each piece was. This was in order to see how long the audios lasted for on the scale. We had to make sure they were as succinct as possible, so it would last at least 30-45 seconds (or even a minute). 

Screenshot 3

*Click to zoom in*

Here, is the finished news item. Using the selection tool to aid my editing once again, I moved the news items to the correct parts of the audio broadcast, in which proved to show how long the news item was. The selection tool proved to be one of the most important tools in making our news item what it is; with moving the audios in place to deleting irrelevant parts of the news item

At the end of the editing process, we came to the ending edit of the news item, which was us putting it together; as explained for the screenshot above. The ending result was the finished edit of our news item (seen/listen below).

The Fourth Week

*Click to zoom in*

Website Link

http://www.lbc.co.uk/16-year-old-arrested-after-teenager-killed-in-westminster-102986

This following week, I needed to look for recent news to use as my news item in my radio broadcast and I came across LBC.co.uk (link above), in which gave out in the world news, but focused on UK/London news in general. Having to find local news, I came across news within Westminster, in which had the news of the stabbing of a 18 year old; which the main news was they had caught a 16 year old and arrested him on suspicion of murder.

*Click to zoom in*

Above is seen to be the location of the murder which is located at Salisbury Street which is within the postcode of NW8.

This news can be seen as local to me as it is in Westminster, and Maida Vale is close within the  region of Westminster. As this is local news, it is seen timeliness as this is an event that happened as of recently (only a couple days ago; 9th January 2015). If this was news that was two weeks old, it wouldn't be considered as news any more; because of how long its aged. Another news value that this can be seen to be is bad news as it sends negative overtones which involves human tragedy; the murder of an 18 year old. Finally, this can be seen as a news value with proximity; this would be due to the fact that this event was local from where I'm located. 

Researching this news item in as much depth as I could, I made a radio interview in which relates to the news item which I am using (script down below).

*Click to zoom in*

Process/Editing of the News Item

As this was our first news item containing serious content, we had to consider the news values of the report; one being the impact. This background music would be able to make our news item sound more serious, connecting the idea of serious piece of news with impact. To get this particular track we searched on YouTube 'serious background music instrumental', in which we scoured through until I found the perfect track to use; the Epic and Dramatic Trailer Music'.

As this came from YouTube, we had to convert it into an MP3 file, which would enable us to use this audio within our particular news item. This involved using a YouTube to MP3 Converter, in which we copied and pasted the URL to be able to convert the video file into an audio file. 

During the process, we had to undergo some minor tweaks to our news item; to make it better. This involved using Audacity and the tools available. 

*click to zoom in*

During production we had to import the track into our timeline. This is where we decided to shorten the track and amplify it lower, so the reporters could be heard. 

*click to zoom in*

The screenshot shows the finished recording, with everything placed under their tracks; showing everything to be in order (i.e. all the reporter's audio is in line with the track 'Reporter). This was the finished outcome once we gave it a final review.

After all of our editing, we finally brought together the news item, in which, below, shows our final piece of work for our particular news item.

The Fifth Week

*Click to zoom in*

Website Link
http://www.lbc.co.uk/appeal-after-blind-man-abused-on-london-train-102671

The following week, I had to look for another news item in which I came across this news item on the LBC website (link above), which gave world news, but mainly had its focus on news within UK, or in this case London. While roaming the site, I came across news which involved a visually impaired man who was abused by a group of youths on the tube between Waterloo and Hounslow. 

While reading and analysing this news item, I noticed a few news values that it contained. One of them was timeliness (which means it happened quite recently). This was more ideal at the time we found it as it was set in the present rather than in the past; if it was set in the past it would be more irrelevant to use. What this does is create an effect of being precise and accuarate when it comes to producing a news item. What this means in terms of the audience is that they are more likely to take in this news rather than just discard it. Another news value we found was the impact that it had on the society that we, as a generation, live in; where the elderly aren't heard and are abused in a society in which young adolescents are blamed for everything negative that occurs. The proximity of the event also, is quite far off from our location, as it is based in Waterloo but the location to which it happens makes it relevant to us as a news story. As this happened on a public train in Waterloo, it shows not to just us but everyone that, anything can occur anywhere and news doesn't have to occur in specific places. Furthermore, it also shows that the news doesn't always have to be local in which it needs to be broadcasted as a news item. This news can be seen as bad news as it seems to show the conflict between different age groups, the respect shown between the age groups also (in which this generation of youngsters have no respect for the elders. Moreover, you can consider this as hard news aswell because it involves the assult of victim (an elderly visually impaired man).

Script

*Click to zoom in*

Above what you can see is the finalised script that I shall be using for my news item. This news item shall consist of a presenter, a co-presenter and a Vox Populi which will consist from a few answers from the public based on the questions asked. In the timings and effect column, we've included a caption of when the background audio will be inserted. We will then be aware of what we'll be editing the track. 

Editing

During the process of creating our news item, we had to go through procedures to make this news item as good as possible. This meant finding pieces of audio to make the news item sound more realistic. 

*Click to zoom in*

While recording our news item we had to find some audio which linked to the atmosphere/theme of the event that we were broadcasting. For this, we used FreeSound (shown above), which has a huge collective database of many pieces of audio. As our news item was based in the underground (London Underground), we had to find snippets of audio from the underground, so it sounded as if we were interviewing them near or inside the station.

*Click to zoom in*

Before we were to upload the track from FreeSound onto our news item, it still remained an uncompleted news item, although everything was recorded and put under their named track. From what you can see, it (the news item) has a Presenter, Co-Presenter, Vox Pops and also a piece of Background Audio. All of the recordings have been organised except for the Background Audio (which is at the bottom of the screenshot). To be able to complete our news item fully, we needed to upload the background audio we needed.

*Click to zoom in*

After we had uploaded the piece of Background Audio, we went through the recordings and realised that one piece of the Co-Presenter's audio (which is highlighted) wasn't hearable, as his speech was to quiet and we could't really hear him speak. Since we had involved Background Audio into our recording, we had to make sure that every other piece of audio from the interview was amplified so it could that what was being said was heard by those listening. What this meant was that we had to amplify the Co-Presenter's audio to 0.2 db (seen above in the screenshot).



After all of the editing and sorting out of the news item, we finally finished our news item. The type of news value this was could be seen to be timeliness and bad news, therefore varying the news values within our local news broadcast. 

The Sixth Week

*Click to zoom in*

Website Link

http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/zayn-malik-quits-one-direction-5365313

While looking for a news item for our broadcast, we came across the news of Zayn Malik's departure from One Direction. This caused an outbreak of major news worldwide in which social media was all over the news; speaking about why he left and how it was good for him; apart from those One Direction fans, they were the only ones fuming and shocked by his departure. 

In terms of news values, this news comes under the news value of impact. This is due the fact that the news coverage on this impacted many One Direction fans worldwide, not to mention the crazy Zayn Malik fans. Another news value that this news comes under, is that of the elites and celebrities. This is due to the fact that Zayn Malik is quite famous and is really well known worldwide, meaning that the news coverage on this elite will be heavy; in the terms that the coverage will be large and have a huge impact on those One Direction fans. 

Script

Before undertaking in processing this news item, we had to create a script that we must follow while recording the news item. Below is our draft script which we used to make the news item.

*Click to zoom in*

 However, as we were making a local 5 minute news broadcast, the script was too long for us to use; in which we then made a shorter script which would go into our local news bulletin (seen below). We also had to include vox pops, which would allow different views of the news to be heard. 

*Click to zoom in* 

Editing

*Click to zoom in*

During the recording process, we had to record all parts from the drafted script. The screenshot above shows 4 recorded pieces of audio from the presenter. From this image, it shows that there isn't any audio placed in the right place. This therefore does not show a clear timeline of how the radio for this news item looks like.

*Click to zoom in* 

In this screenshot, we have now organised the audio into 4 tracks; the presenter, the co-presenter, vox pops & the specialist presenter. This screenshot exposes the clear timeline of our news item. 

After completing the track, we exported the track onto our USBs, before we went and uploaded the audio onto SoundCloud (as seen below).

The Seventh Week

*Click to zoom in*

Website Link

http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/jeremy-clarkson-flee-uk-close-5373635

On the look for our seventh news item, we came across the news of well-known presenter, Jeremy Clarkson, who was suspending for a fracas with his producer, seen to be leaving the UK with a close female companion after his Top Gear verdict. Clarkson was suspended for allegedly hitting the producer, Oisin Tymon after a heated argument. The response from Clarkson towards the verdict was unpleasant; he used the 'F' word a number of times; especially noted when he said they have now 'F***ed Top Gear'. 

Within considering the news values, this news item has the value of entertainment and also elites and celebrities. This is due to the fact that this news item involves a big time well renown TV presenter; not to mention the fact that it was highlighted and spoken on on various social media sites; especially that of Twitter. 

Script

*Click to zoom in*

This news item wasn't seen to be too long. This is why we decided to keep the script short and sweet. 

Editing

*Click to zoom in* 

The editing process of this was quite simple at this stage and was the easiest out of all the news items. This is due to the fact that it only consisted of a Presenter and a Specialist Reporter. 

After this simple editing process, we exported the audio and uploaded to SoundCloud (as seen below).  

The Eighth Week

*Click to zoom in*

*Click to zoom in*

This eighth news item, wasn't meant to be part of the local news bulletin, but we switched it with the Kilburn Literary Festival. Other groups had this news item, so we decided to change it. This topic was found in the Wood & Vale newspaper. The news speaks on the voting system in the UK within the 2015 General Election. The pictures above mark what news item we will be talking about. From this, we needed to retrieve vox pops from females and males to see whether they registered their votes. After this change, it enabled our news bulletin to be more distinctive than it ever was 

CANON RADIO NEWS 

'News for you'

Script

Before recording our final local news bulletin, we had to put the scripts in order of how it would be presented (seen below). 

*Click to zoom in*

Editing Process

Below, you will see that the screenshots show Garageband; a music-making software we used in making our jingle. There is already an open track that was created. Before recording, we needed intro music that would be ideal for our show, this is where Garageband came in. The images show clearly how the jingle, which was done by Celyn, was made step-by-step. The built in sounds on the right aided her as she was making the jingle for the radio. The Sound Box which is on the right, is where she was able to choose her sounds from. This is where she chose a genre of audios that helped in making our jingle. In the end, the electric piano was chosen, which had a cheerful, yet serious tone to it. This led to our own introduction music. Once we had chosen our selected audio, we needed to loop the track; so that it lasted for 10 seconds. After added a different sound, it allowed the intro music to not sound too bland; giving it more of a tempo and a beat. Above this explanation, is the final Introduction Jingle. 

These two screenshots that were captured by Celyn, was the moment we had our presenter and was able to record all of his relevant parts. Before taking Mr McClure as our presenter, we had Bradley Loughnane. What happened here, was just the change in accent and also dialect. 

Throughout the whole recording process, the voice of Mr McClure was very well projected and clear throughout the Radio Broadcast. His relaxed yet serious voice enabled us to make the target audience more vulnerable to listen to it.

These two screenshots below, go through the editing process of the making of our news bulletin. As seen within the photos, we had an array of tracks that consisted with many pieces of audio. The screenshot on the right shows all of the tracks that we recorded; however they haven't been organised yet into a clear and ordered timeline. The first four tracks out of the seven were ordered. We had to put all of them in order. 

Before we could continue with the editing process, we had to organize all of the tracks into their right place. This is so we'd know that everything was in place and we could then see what wasn't in place. The organisation within the tracks allowed us to see a clear view of what needed to be deleted from certain audio tracks and also what needed to be added. 

Above, what you see, is the completed, organised and clear timeline of how our local news bulletin will run. 

Completed Radio Show

Below, what you'll see is our completed local radio news bulletin, which consists of all our news items.