Analysis of a News Source 5.2

Basics: 10p on Wednesday, Feb. 27, KARE 11, with anchors Julie Nelson and Randy Shaver

Story 1: Students assaulted at bus stops; local; Jay Olstad

Story 2: Teen dead after hitting bus; local; Randy Shaver

Story 3: Deadline for charges is tomorrow; local/crime; Jana Shortal

Newsworthiness

Story focus statement: Deadline for charges is tomorrow

Timing: Kira Travino disappeared on Friday, so this is still very relevant, and since her husband must be charged with her murder or let go by tomorrow, timing is a pretty important factor.

Proximity: The couple lived in the metro area and Kira worked at the Mall of America, so proximity is important to the relevance of this story.

Oddity/Uniqueness: This story isn’t that unusual, but the circumstances, like finding her car in a far corner of the mall and the husband being held make it a little odd.

Significance: A missing woman is considered important, especially when her husband is suspected of murdering her, but it doesn’t have much of a direct impact on the community.

Human interest: This story definitely appeals to sadness over a pretty young woman who was possibly killed by her husband, and concern that she’s still missing.

Prominence: No celebrities are involved, so this factor doesn’t really apply.

Analysis of a News Source 5.1

Basics: 10p on Tuesday, Feb. 26, KARE 11, with anchors Julie Nelson and Randy Shaver

Story 1: Gophers beat top-ranked team; local/sports; Eric Perkins and Rena Sarigianopoulos

Story 2: Man arrested in wife’s disappearance; local/crime; Blake McCoy

Story 3: Explosion damages church; local; Randy Shaver

Newsworthiness

Story focus statement: Explosion damages church

Proximity: Since this happened in Brooklyn Center, it is pretty local, and therefore proximity is important in making this newsworthy.

Timing: The explosion occurred earlier that day, so timing is an important factor.

Oddity/Uniqueness: An explosion from a gas line that damages a church is somewhat unusual, so this factor contributed to the newsworthiness of the story.

Significance: Some people might have to go to a damaged church for a while, but this story isn’t very significant – nobody was injured or anything like that.

Human interest: This story might make some people a bit sad, but it doesn’t evoke much emotion.

Prominence: No celebrities are involved, so this factor doesn’t apply.

Weekly Response 5

Week: Jan 31 to Feb. 7
One thing I noticed in the similarity of the pictures was that they all had people in them, and most had people expressing an emotion, whether of joy, anger, or pain.  The pictures were also visually interesting, whether it was the sun shining through the workers' hands or the curiosity-evoking image of a man trying to move his TV through a flood. 

The first of my favorite shots is the one of the girls running out of the church with pans, the girl in the back looking astonished as she flips a pancake and the girl in front looking really excited and happy.  It's a shot that makes me want to know more - what are these girls doing with pancakes outside a church, and why are they so happy?

The second picture I really like is the one of the Floridian farmers picking tomatoes and putting them in the back of a wagon.  The whole picture is so vibrant, green, and sunny, and I like the way the tomato plants seem to stretch on forever.  I also like the pop of red in all the green that the bucket provides.

The third of the pictures that I like is the one of young refugee boys playing on a crashed airplane.  The contrast between their joyful faces and the dirty surroundings, from the broken airplane that has become a playground, to their dirty clothes, is really interesting, and I love the way the sun shines through behind them, so bright and lovely.

Each picture tells a different story, and there are many different factors that add to their effectiveness in doing so.  One thing that I think is important is including people in all of the pictures - as a world culture, we're more drawn to pictures that have people in them.  Showing the emotional expression on the subject's face also captures a viewer's attention and shows the feeling the story is trying to convey to its audience. Finally, action shots show a story better than does a formal portrait, and all of these pictures appear to be unposed shots of people going about their lives.

Analysis of a News Source 4.2

Basics: 10p on Wednesday, Feb. 20, KARE 11, with anchors Julie Nelson and Randy Shaver

Story 1: Abducted baby found safe; local/crime; anchors, plus Jay Olstad

Story 2: Mother convicted of smothering baby; local/crime; Jana Shortal

Story 3: Snow will fall tomorrow night; weather; Belinda Jensen

Newsworthiness

Story focus statement: Abducted baby found safe

Timing: The baby was stolen and found that afternoon, so timing is very relevant to making this story newsworthy.

Proximity: This story happened in Minneapolis, so proximity is important to its relevance.

Human interest: This appeals to emotions of sadness and worry for the missing baby and relief and happiness to hear he’s safe and sound.

Significance: A baby was stolen from its house, which makes people feel unsafe, and an Amber alert is a big deal – many people got the notification on their phone.

Oddity/Uniqueness: A woman stealing a baby while the mother is in the shower is certainly unusual, and adds to the newsworthiness.

Prominence: No celebrities were involved, so this doesn’t apply.

Analysis of a News Source 4.1

Basics: 10p on Wednesday, Feb. 19, KARE 11, with anchors Julie Nelson and Randy Shaver

Story 1: Taxes proposed to fund construction; local; anchors, plus Scott Seroka

Story 2: Temperature will drop tonight; weather; Belinda Jensen

Story 3: Barriers installed near crash site; local/crime; anchors, plus Jana Shortal

Newsworthiness

Story focus statement: Barriers installed near crash site

1. Proximity: The crash occurred in Alexandria and the girls were from the metro area, so proximity is an important factor in the newsworthiness.

2. Human interest: This story definitely appeals to emotions – the sadness of the four girls dying in the crash and possibly fear that that stretch of road is unsafe.

3. Timing: Although the crash occurred almost a year ago, because it is the anniversary of the crash and because the barriers are being installed now, timing is relevant.

4. Significance: Four college girls died in the crash, which is somewhat important, but this doesn’t really affect many of the viewers.

5. Oddity/Uniqueness: The four girls dying in a crash is somewhat unusual and very sad, but not really odd.

6. Prominence: Nobody involved is famous, so this isn’t important.

Weekly Response 4

Story Title: The art of violin bow making

Total run time: 2:28

1. CU of hands tying apron

2.  CU of rolling up sleeves

3.  MCU of face from below

4. CU of shaving at wood

5. CU of face

6. MCU of him being interviewed

7. Mid shot of him inspecting wood

8.  CU/ECU of him tapping wood

9.  POV shot of him inspecting wood

10. CU of hands shaving wood

11. ECU of wood jutting towards camera

12. CU of putting a bow together

13. ECU of hand and end of bow

14. Tilt from light down to workspace

15. Mid shot of workspace

16. Mid shot of tools

17. CU of finished bows

18. ECU of wood shavings

19. CU of raw wood

20. ECU of raw wood

21. ECU of him picking up a bow

22. CU of him being interviewed

23. CU of hand and new frog on bow

24. POV of inspecting end of the bow

25. ECU of hands and bow

26. CU of him being interviewed

27. ECU of hands and tools

28. Pan CU of hands working with a bow

29. CU of him being interviewed

30. ECU of hands carving wood

31. Mid shot of working on same bow

32. CU of face still working on same bow

33. ECU of hands inspecting an unfinished bow

34. CU of hands inspecting a polished bow

Making violin bows is clearly a very delicate and difficult process.  The reporter showed this by having many, many close up shots of all the little details that go into making each bow – it sort of felt like you were the bow maker, meticulously inspecting each one to see how it’s coming along.  The many tight shots of the bow maker’s face also made it seem like a very personal story – you could see the emotions and almost an inner peace he seemed to have while making bows. I do think it would have been nice to have one or two wider shots to set the scene of the workshop.

Analysis of a News Source 3.2

Basics: 10p on Wednesday, Feb. 13, KARE 11, with anchors Randy Shaver and Julie Nelson

Story 1: Oakdale shooting investigated; local/crime; Jay Olstad

Story 2: Light snow expected overnight; weather; Belinda Jensen

Story 3: Animals rescued from hoarder; local; Randy Shaver

Newsworthiness

Story focus statement: Animals rescued from hoarder

1. Timing: The animals were saved recently (the last couple of days), so the story is current

2.  Proximity: The animals were rescued from a house in Minneapolis, so proximity is an important factor

3.  Human interest: This story appeals to sadness – the poor, suffering animals! – so this is an important factor

4.  Oddity/Uniqueness: Hoarding situations, especially with 38 cats, are somewhat unusual.

5.  Significance: The animals were clearly suffering – there were also a bunch of dead animals in there – so that’s kind of significant, but no people were threatened.

6.  Prominence: No celebrities were involved, so this factor doesn’t really apply