media update’s Nakedi Phala reveals three reasons why TV is still a great platform to consume the news.
TV news channels abide by a code of conduct that seeks to find the truth, analyse it and report it. They pledge to act
independently in order to produce content that is
unbiased and, most importantly, that is transparent and benefits society at large.
Here’s why TV is still the go-to option for news:
1. It is a convenient option
A number of channels on TV deliver news that is reliable and properly sourced. TV is a convenient source to watch news from because there are channels such as SABC News and e.tv, which are free news providers — no terms and conditions or subscription fees.
Another reason why TV news is more convenient is because it is affordable. With data being an expensive commodity (
especially in South Africa), some news lovers can’t afford to consume their news via the Internet, let alone social media platforms. And in many cases, they cannot even afford smart devices to gain access to the Internet!
The classic benefit of TV? It can be watched by a number of people at any location — for example, at the airport, train station or at malls) — for free!
2. Harm is minimised on TV
News channels take strict measures to minimise harm on audience’s screens. For example, when there are teams reporting on live events that are not suitable for sensitive viewers, the news team will delay their video streaming for a couple of seconds while reporting. This is done in order to caution viewers that the content they’re about to see may contain scenes that could cause distress.
Journalists’ sole objectives of minimising harm on television is to inform society with news that won’t lead to violence, while still offering content that educates and offers room for audiences to make their own logical conclusions about what’s being reported on.
Here are a couple of measures that journalists take in order to minimise harm on news channels:
- Regarding issues affecting children, in order to reduce harm, they will cover the faces of the children.
- Depending on the nature of the news, journalists will hide the child's name or use a fictional name to protect their identity.
- When they request permission to interview someone, they will respect the individuals who wish to remain anonymous.
A journalist who has their moral compass pointed in the right direction understands and respects society at large, isn’t biased and also isn’t obsessed with channel ratings; they report fairly and independently.
3. There are a variety of genres available on news channels
TV news has a number of features, such as social media segments where edited WhatsApp voice notes, short video clips and social media posts from viewers are shared on the air in order to hear what the public view is. There are also sport previews that offer fans who missed out on their favourite game an opportunity to catch up!
Usually TV news channels receive their weather insight from reputable meteorological services such as
The South African Weather Service (SAWS). These insights are obtained by professional climatologists who are able to gather information about the climate on a critical level in order to provide clients, such as TV news channels, with reliable weather analysis reports.
Channels also share their news on platforms such as YouTube [LIVE], Twitter, Skype and Facebook, which boosts channel engagement with audiences that might have missed the news bulletins.
Additionally, the introduction of smart TVs offers an alternative for viewers, as they can now swap from analogue, digital and Internet
on one device, meaning that they are able to enjoy their favourite news channel on a variety of platforms.
Now that you have some insight on why news on found on TV channels is reliable, which other platforms do you think provide reliable news content? Let us know in the comments section below.
Now that you’ve learnt why TV is still the popular kid on the block when it comes to consuming news, Find out Why more news publishers are getting ‘personal’.