Issues relating to factual television programmes

Accuracy

Accuracy is when something is near to the true value. It is when the quality of something is as precise as it can be. Factual programmes have to be accurate as the audience should not be mislead. The audience will like to know that what they are being told are facts and not opinions. Factual programmes are meant to be fair. It is important that factual programmes are accurate, if not they may lose the trust of their audience and this can lower their viewing ratings. Also, in order for information to be accurate, careful research must take place.

Balance

Balance is when something is equal within factual programming. In a factual programme an argument is meant to be kept balanced. Both sides of an argument must be presented, however, should not present one side better than the other. A story should be told from both sides and try not to be biased. In order to maintain balance you need to be impartial.

Impartiality

Impartiality is when the producers do not take either side of a story, instead they stay neutral. In factual programmes you cannot be biased nor prejudice, you have to show the best of both sides. It is important to be impartial as you could cause controversy among your audience. Many media services always maintain being neutral, this is to please their audience. Many people watch factual programmes just to gain the facts, they do not want to be pulled into an argument where they have to produce their own opinions.

Objectivity

Objectivity is when you make a judgement based on what you have seen. It doesn't include any emotions or prejudices. The information you present in documentaries are important as the audience will make their judgement based on the footage you have shown. Being objective is being able to put an argument across and presenting all of the research gathered without being biased or impartial, but, giving the audience a chance to make up their own mind or opinion on the subject being discussed.

Subjectivity

Subjectivity is when you make a judgement based on your own personal feelings and opinions. It doesn't depend on external facts for example footage you have seen or facts you have heard. In a documentary if you want the audience to have a particular view on someone or something, you would have to present them/it in a bad way so that the audience can build their own opinion on that person/thing. The news avoid being subjective in order to avoid causing controversy. By being subjective, you would put across a more one sided view.

Opinion

Opinions are judgements based on your own view. They are not always based on facts or knowledge but are based on your own personal view. An opinion can be supported by an argument, although, others may not have the same opinion on the same argument. A passive audience is an audience who take the facts presented to them and have their own opinion on them. Reporters are unable to make a subjective opinion in a story. Including both impartiality and balance, it allows the audience to have their own opinion on what they have seen.

Bias

Bias is when you are on one side and show prejudice against something or someone unfairly. Sometimes you find documentaries that are biased over an argument. They particularly support one side and try and promote the audience to follow the side they are on. Being bias can also include ignoring evidence shown by the other party. Censorship is against biased views, it is there to protect the audience from causing controversy. The news is not biased due to following the Ofcom rules.

Representation

Representation is when someone or something is being portrayed in a certain way. In a documentary if you wanted the audience to have a particular view on someone, you would have to represent that person in a particular way, either in a good way or bad. Sometimes you see positive representation, this can be done to cause the audience to have sympathy towards someone or something. However, sometimes you can also see negative representation, victimising individuals or groups. representation is a re-presentation of something/someone or a group. It can sometimes be a re-presentation of recognisable stereotypes. The media can either challenge the stereotypes or can show them in a new light.

Access

Access is when you have the freedom to be able to use something or someone. It is when you have been given the permission to use or take something. In some documentaries you see footage of people being interviewed. The camera crew would have been given permission to be able to record that footage and to be able to use it.

Privacy

Privacy is when you are able to keep something to yourself without it being observed by other people. Everyone is given the freedom to privacy; no one has to share something to someone if they don’t want to. It is part of someone’s human rights. In some documentaries you see people’s faces being blurred out when they are talking. A person is able to say that they want the image of themselves to be kept private.

Codes and conventions

There are many codes and conventions within factual programming, some include:

• Editing – Montage
• Presentation of facts
• Strong and interesting premise
• Voice over/Presenter
• Editing, piecing together to make meaning
• Use of suspense, concealing outcome
• Point of view; bias
• Constructing a version of reality often using narrative techniques
• Hand held camera
• Poor sound/lighting
• Disjointed editing
• Interviews
• Use of experts
• Archive footage; film and photographs
• Music
• Framing to create meaning

These are a few examples of programmes and their codes and conventions used:

Secret Millionaire (RDF Media, 2006-Present) is a documentary, which uses a few of these codes and conventions:
A strong and interesting premise – This keeps the audience entertained by making good points.
Editing, piecing together to create meaning – This can show the story from the writer/directors point of view but also keeps the outcome a surprise.
Music – This is used to add different emotions to a documentary.


Bowling for Columbine (Moore, 2002) is a documentary, although some of it does have a little more comedic approach to it. Some of the conventions used are:
Point of view, bias – This tells the writer/directors POV, trying to make the audience agree with what they are promoting.
Constructing a version of reality often using narrative techniques – This entertains an audience, while at the same time putting across the writer/directors bias.
Disjointed editing – This is used to add more information while allowing the audience a break.
Editing/montage – This adds information quickly/slowly, depending on how the director wants it.


Grizzly Man (Herzog, 2005) is a docudrama using the following codes and conventions:
Voice over/Presenter – This keeps the audience updated with the images and videos while telling a story.
Handheld camera – This is used when whoever is in the docudrama is on the move, it keeps the audience ready for the next piece of action.
Poor sound or lighting – This shows that it is not a staged docudrama, it is showing real events. You can’t always have a setup. This makes it more believable for the audience.


Super Size Me (Spurlock, 2004) is a documentary about unhealthy eating. Some of the conventions used are:
Interviews – Used to show facts or witness accounts, making it more believable.
Use of experts – This helps to show realism and use of facts.
Presentation of facts – This is used to add believability and ties in with the use of experts and interviews.


Those are some of the codes and conventions used in different types of documentary making. Those have and can also be used for many different documentaries and other types of factual programming.