BBC Click (England)
BBC 'Click' is a short news programme about technology, gadgets, apps, and the most recent issues and innovations surrounding these from BBC News (BBC News, n.d.).
Each episode is 30 minutes long, presented in the format of a traditional news programme with a coming up segment, title sequence, and presenter who acts as a bridge between correspondents presenting pre-recorded packages. This helps to give the show the authority of a traditional news bulletin, especially since it goes into depth about the technology it covers.
For example, during the episode Moon Walking, there was a segment about some skates which used similar technology to that of a Segway.
Recapping previous technology makes it possible for viewers to compare gadgets they might already know with this new one, making it familiar and more interesting to those who understand the subject. This might make the programme harder for 'casual' viewers, since they could have no knowledge of the technology, or the show. However, having the reporter then try the gadget makes the subject more accessible for viewers who have zero knowledge, since the reporter doesn't talk about technical specifications, instead only demonstrating how fun and innovative the skates are, giving the audience someone to relate to. Although, he builds trust with viewers when he talks about the other similar technology, because this demonstrates he is knowledgable about the subject, and can be relied upon to give his fair opinion based on his wide range of knowledge and experience.
Because of this, it can be argued that this is a technology news programme for people who have a fair amount of knowledge about technology, and are interested in keeping up with the latest innovations. For example, another segment in the show is a 'Week in Tech rundown', which covered some big events and conventions going on. Many terms were mentioned which would only be understandable to those who had knowledge of tech, such as 'ethereum' and 'software based'.
These could be overlooked, and are not needed to enjoy the show, but may be required to understand all the news being reported.
Each episode is 30 minutes long, presented in the format of a traditional news programme with a coming up segment, title sequence, and presenter who acts as a bridge between correspondents presenting pre-recorded packages. This helps to give the show the authority of a traditional news bulletin, especially since it goes into depth about the technology it covers.
For example, during the episode Moon Walking, there was a segment about some skates which used similar technology to that of a Segway.
Fig. 1 BBC: BBC News Click (2018)
To introduce the skates, the reporter recaps similar devices which have already been featured on the show, before trying the skates himself (see fig. 1).Recapping previous technology makes it possible for viewers to compare gadgets they might already know with this new one, making it familiar and more interesting to those who understand the subject. This might make the programme harder for 'casual' viewers, since they could have no knowledge of the technology, or the show. However, having the reporter then try the gadget makes the subject more accessible for viewers who have zero knowledge, since the reporter doesn't talk about technical specifications, instead only demonstrating how fun and innovative the skates are, giving the audience someone to relate to. Although, he builds trust with viewers when he talks about the other similar technology, because this demonstrates he is knowledgable about the subject, and can be relied upon to give his fair opinion based on his wide range of knowledge and experience.
Fig. 2 BBC: BBC News Click (2018)
Nevertheless, the reporter does point out that technology like Segways, and therefore maybe even these skates, are banned on streets in the U.K. (Moon Walking, 2018). A lot of the technology featured in this episode, such as some from NASA (see fig. 2), and some at the Two-Bit Circus in L.A., are devices which members of the public in the U.K. are not likely to either be able to access or will use in their everyday lives.Because of this, it can be argued that this is a technology news programme for people who have a fair amount of knowledge about technology, and are interested in keeping up with the latest innovations. For example, another segment in the show is a 'Week in Tech rundown', which covered some big events and conventions going on. Many terms were mentioned which would only be understandable to those who had knowledge of tech, such as 'ethereum' and 'software based'.
These could be overlooked, and are not needed to enjoy the show, but may be required to understand all the news being reported.
Fig. 3 BBC: BBC News Click (2018)
However, the show has an informal tone, created by having a presenter in an office setting talk to the audience like a studio reporter, but looking more casual, as well as by the encouragement for the audience to get involved through social media by astons showing social media handles for each reporter, and the programme overall (see fig. 3). This gives the programme another platform to reach viewers, especially those who are interested in technology -- which could be argued as being the show's target audience because of the unusual tech which is discussed in depth and recapped, as well as the technical terms used.ABC TechBytes (America)
'TechBytes' is a 50 second segment shown on ABC News, which covers the most recent technological developments. However, compared to the BBC's 'Click', it doesn't go into as much depth since about three stories are covered in this short time.
Fig. 4 ABC News: TechBytes (2018)
These stories are presented as OOVs. Often the videos used are commercials which show the tech's newest development. For example, fig. 4 is still from a GoPro commercial, which was shown in a story about features of one of the newest models of their cameras. By doing this, the segment is clear even for casual viewers who may watch without sound, since the captions can explain, or without looking at the screen, because the studio reporters also explain via voice-over. Using both techniques avoids viewers becoming confused as the stories are presented quickly.
Fig. 5 ABC News: TechBytes (2016)
Where 'Click' is presented as a news bulletin in its own right, 'TechBytes' is treated as one segment of the channel's output. Therefore, it maintains a formal tone, created many by the studio setting, and smartly dressed reporters, fitting the rest of the channel's image (see fig. 5). The reporters also state their sources, such as 'a dependable analyst in Taiwan' (Techbytes: Amazon puts pressure on Netflix, 2016), giving it the authority of a traditional news bulletin.
Because of this, it can be seen that the segment tries to appeal to a more general audience, who tune into the rest of the news channel.
This is why the segment covers technology people use everyday, often naming familiar companies such as Amazon and Google. All of the gadgets and headlines mentioned could be used by the general public daily, or will impact the way they use tech. For example, stories covered have been 'Amazon puts pressure on Netflix' (Techbytes: Amazon puts pressure on Netflix, 2016), and 'Volkswagen's flashy new hybrid' (TechBytes: Volkswagen's flashy new hybrid, 2016).
Fig. 6 ABC News: TechBytes (2018)
However, some unusual tech similar to that from 'Click' is sometimes featured, such as a floating backpack (see fig. 6). Yet, this is not unaccessible to the public, and can be bought by them (as stated by the reporter). It is implied that eventually, these more unusual inventions could be integrated into common use as the technology develops.
Overall, unlike 'Click', viewers of this segment only have to have a basic knowledge of tech, due to the fact that companies and tech which are familiar and used daily by the public are the ones covered, and not in depth. The segment tries to appeal to a more general audience, since it is slotted into the constant flow of the channel's news output because of its short running time, so it keeps up the formal tone associated with the rest of the channel's output.
Our idea:
These bulletins inspired the tone of our news channel since they are so different. We wanted to strike a balance between the formalness of 'TechBytes' and the slightly more informal 'Click', therefore we decided on a formal yet inviting tone (more on this in branding).
This is because our target audience is young people aged 15-35 therefore we wanted to relate to our audience in order to engage them, especially since our channel is primarily online and the most popular videos on YouTube are usually short, because of the amount of content online.
For this reason one of our main segments is where our reporters try out technology, inspired by 'Click' (see fig.7).
Fig.7 YouTube: GLITCH News (2018)
This is so our segments are mainly reporter led, therefore our audience have someone to relate to.
Because of this, when staging an interview for our package, we took inspiration from a segment of the BBC 'Click' episode, Moon Walking (see fig.8 and fig.9).
Fig.8 BBC: BBC News Click (2018)
Fig. 9 YouTube: GLITCH News (2018)
The audience can still hear and sometimes see the reporter asking the questions, therefore they know someone they trust is guiding the interview and getting the information they need to know from the professional.
This set-up also fit with our brand. Our psychologist is a professional so we knew he would turn up smartly dressed, and that the reporter would be dressed similarly. This helped with the formal tone. Therefore, to help connect with our young audience we used the colourful brick background since it is fun, and light but doesn't distract from the interviewee or the seriousness of the subject, but is neutral (see fig.10).
Fig. 10 YouTube: GLITCH News (2018)
Our title was also inspired by 'Click', since it is one word which is catchy and makes clear the theme of the programme. We decided on 'Glitch' as many of our stories aim to subvert the audience's expectations. A glitch is defined as 'A sudden, usually temporary malfunction' (English Oxford Dictionaries, s.d), therefore by subverting their expectations our audience could experience a 'glitch', a moment where their expectations are challenged, and maybe even changed because of our reports.
This also fit with the technology theme of the channel, since it meant we could use text which glitched for the graphics and title (see fig.11).
Fig.11 YouTube: GLITCH News (2018)
Our logo and YouTube channel banner also fit the technology theme. The logo was inspired by the logo for 'Click' since we also decided on a circular border, due to the connections it also has with Apple (the Apple logo is also circular) and other tech companies, such as Google chrome and apps like Safari (see fig.12) and iTunes, which have circular symbols as well.
Fig. 12 Safari Logo (s.d)
However, our banner is similar to that of 'TechBytes'. Their banner (see above) is also circular, and shows a background made up of some small squares, like bytes selected out of the wider pattern, just as they select short stories for their bulletins.
Due to this, for our banner we used hexagons surrounding icons such as a music symbol, a camera, and a printer to represent the smaller themes we cover in our bulletins that make up the wider theme of technology. For example, this week's theme is gaming, but others could be music technology or photography (see fig.13).
Fig.13 YouTube: GLITCH News (2018)
These themes are not only relevant to our channel because they are based around technology, but also because they can cover technology which young people use everyday, such as video games or headphones. We are able to challenge what they expect because they might already know about the story or at least be familiar with the technology the story focuses on, such as video game violence, heightening the relevance of the stories to them, similar to 'TechBytes'.
List of Illustrations:
Figure 1. BBC News Click (2018) [BBC Webpage] At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bjdw8s (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Figure 2. BBC News Click (2018) [BBC Webpage] At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bjdw8s (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Figure 3. BBC News Click (2018) [BBC Webpage] At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bjdw8s (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Figure 4. Amazon's Alexa helps parents with quiet mode (2018) [ABC News webpage] At: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/video/amazons-alexa-helps-parents-quiet-mode-57987045 (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Figure 5. TechBytes: Volkswagen's flashy new hybrid (2016) [ABC News webpage] At: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/video/techbytes-volkswagens-flashy-hybrid-36209835 (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Figure 6. Amazon's Alexa helps parents with quiet mode (2018) [ABC News webpage] At: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/video/amazons-alexa-helps-parents-quiet-mode-57987045 (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Figure 7. GLITCH News (2018) [YouTube Webpage] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RIY_eLWILY (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 8. BBC News Click (2018) [BBC Webpage] At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bjdw8s (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 9. GLITCH News (2018) [YouTube Webpage] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RIY_eLWILY (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 10. GLITCH News (2018) [YouTube Webpage] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RIY_eLWILY (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 11. GLITCH News (2018) [YouTube Webpage] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RIY_eLWILY (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 12. Safari Logo. (s.d) [Logo] At: https://www.apple.com/uk/safari/ (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 13. GLITCH News (2018) [YouTube Webpage] At: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9-SUhHBCuhX0sXRcEbkzRw (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 2. BBC News Click (2018) [BBC Webpage] At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bjdw8s (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Figure 3. BBC News Click (2018) [BBC Webpage] At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bjdw8s (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Figure 4. Amazon's Alexa helps parents with quiet mode (2018) [ABC News webpage] At: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/video/amazons-alexa-helps-parents-quiet-mode-57987045 (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Figure 5. TechBytes: Volkswagen's flashy new hybrid (2016) [ABC News webpage] At: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/video/techbytes-volkswagens-flashy-hybrid-36209835 (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Figure 6. Amazon's Alexa helps parents with quiet mode (2018) [ABC News webpage] At: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/video/amazons-alexa-helps-parents-quiet-mode-57987045 (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Figure 7. GLITCH News (2018) [YouTube Webpage] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RIY_eLWILY (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 8. BBC News Click (2018) [BBC Webpage] At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bjdw8s (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 9. GLITCH News (2018) [YouTube Webpage] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RIY_eLWILY (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 10. GLITCH News (2018) [YouTube Webpage] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RIY_eLWILY (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 11. GLITCH News (2018) [YouTube Webpage] At: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RIY_eLWILY (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 12. Safari Logo. (s.d) [Logo] At: https://www.apple.com/uk/safari/ (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Figure 13. GLITCH News (2018) [YouTube Webpage] At: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9-SUhHBCuhX0sXRcEbkzRw (Accessed on 1 November 2018).
Bibliography:
BBC News (n.d.) Click. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006m9ry (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
English Oxford Dictionaries. (s.d) 'Glitch' definition 1 [online] At: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/glitch (Accessed on 31 October 2018).
Moon Walking (2018). [television programme online] Pres. Kelly, S. BBC iPlayer. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bjdw8s (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Techbytes: Amazon puts pressure on Netflix (2016). [television programme online] Pres. Gibson, K. and Macedo, D. ABC News Online. At: https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/techbytes-amazon-puts-pressure-netflix-38476408 (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
TechBytes: Volkswagen's flashy new hybrid (2016). [television programme online] Pres. Gibson, K. and Ninan, R. ABC News Online. At: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/video/techbytes-volkswagens-flashy-hybrid-36209835 (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
English Oxford Dictionaries. (s.d) 'Glitch' definition 1 [online] At: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/glitch (Accessed on 31 October 2018).
Moon Walking (2018). [television programme online] Pres. Kelly, S. BBC iPlayer. At: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bjdw8s (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
Techbytes: Amazon puts pressure on Netflix (2016). [television programme online] Pres. Gibson, K. and Macedo, D. ABC News Online. At: https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/techbytes-amazon-puts-pressure-netflix-38476408 (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
TechBytes: Volkswagen's flashy new hybrid (2016). [television programme online] Pres. Gibson, K. and Ninan, R. ABC News Online. At: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/video/techbytes-volkswagens-flashy-hybrid-36209835 (Accessed on 29 September 2018).
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