News Analysis
KARE 11 News **** I have added my viewing table as an attachment as well for more a more organized format.
5:00 pm, Monday March 24, 2008
Initial Preview: top stories are touched on: mineral-based make-up,
Sarah Jane Olson, Iraq contractor possible remains found
15 sec
Top National News (local interest): Sarah Jane Olson back in prison after being released. Reported from studio, switch to clips of Sarah Jane Olson getting off a plane originally, go to phone interview with Olson’s attorney, more photos and clips, back to studio to wrap up
2 min 35 sec
National News: Possible remains found of contractor lost in Iraq in Nov 2006: picture of contractor shown, map of where remains found shown
30 sec
National News: Bush makes special recognition of 4000 casualties to date in Iraq. News reported from studio speaking while clip of Bush speaking is on screen.
20 sec
National News: Witness is in same jail with person they are testifying against. Witness is beaten badly. Picture is shown of the violent inmate. Screened, taped interview of witness who was beaten is shown. Skewed clips of victims face are shown to display injuries, but conceal identity.
1 min 55 sec
National News: Mother and 4 children murdered in Iowa City. Husband is missing. Showed several clips of area.
15 sec
National News: Home sales improving with housing prices lowest in years.
20 sec
National News: Truck companies regulating speed carefully---cuts down on fuel costs. (footage of general highway truck driving is shown)
30 sec
National News: Pilot’s gun goes off on commercial plane. Was accident---part of Federal law passed for pilot’s protection ( to carry gun). Told by main news reporters from studio.
20 sec
National/ Local News: George Clooney and Renee Zellweger in Duluth. Focus on women fascinated with Clooney. Spoke to press for 45 min—“more to come at 6:00�
45 sec
Teaser: Protestors at Olympic flame lighting, weather
25 sec
Commercial
National News: Tibetan protestors at flame lighting for Olympics in China. Flame to go to top of Everest---controversial+ Chinese rule of Tibet.
45 sec
National News: Update on Detroit Gov. accused of infidelity with advisor. “Youngest Governor� “text messages�
15 sec
Local News: Academic All-Star---Blaine students---clips of student at school, interview with student, student’s principal, other students.
2 min 20 sec
Teaser: Twins, mineral-based make-up, weather
15 sec
Commercial
National News “interest�: Easter Egg Role @White House—since 1872—footage of event
20 sec
Weather: inside studio, Backyard, radar map
3 min 45 sec
Mineral-based Make-up (finally!!!): sales up, health benefits= “bogus�, quotes from dermatologists.
1 min 5 sec
Sports: Twins sign Joe Nathan, preview of opening line-up—“more at 10:00
2 min
Teaser: results of competition, preview of nightly news to come
Commercial
Interest: World Champion in Marbles
5 sec
Nightly News Preview with Brian Williams in Nightly News Studio:
Now fewer commercials---as asked for
5 min
Closing—“see you at 6�
This was an interesting broadcast time to analyze the news. The overlying factor that struck me the most was how the information itself was geared more to a female/older audience (make-up was a multiple teaser throughout the segments) perhaps because it was an earlier news segment (???), while the teasers for news later on in the night was much more male oriented: Sports would be extended. Although, in general, much of the teaser spots touched on news that would be expanded on in the later newscasts at 6pm and 10pm.
The “National� news was focused heavily on stories that were locally relative such as the Sarah Jane Olson segment, which held one of the largest time spots. The other key time segment, aside from the Minnesotan obsession with the 3+ weather spot, was the Academic All-Star highlight of a Blaine High School student, which was over 2 min.
There was also a careful balance of positive and negative stories. The Iraq news stories were very brief. The local news stories of homicides and violence were followed up with rise in home sales and truck companies monitoring speed to compensate for higher gas prices. The “heavier� and serious stories were covered at the beginning, and the last half of the news was fairly “light:� Easter Egg Roll @ White House, weather, marble-contest winner.
It almost seemed like a preview for the night of news to come. Many of the commercials were for KARE 11 News or spots that were sponsored by the station. The last segment was a piece by Brian Williams plugging for less commercials in NBC Nightly News. The very last statement was “we’ll see you at 6.�