Okay, this may be like the fish/barrel/gun combination but some of my journalism students were talking about the content of 6pm television news yesterday. I maintain crime and the weather are the easiest things to report: after the event, camera pointed at farmer in sodden/drought afflicted/snow-blown paddock etc -- and they provide interesting if not always illuminating footage.
I was out last evening and my wife used the marvellous MySky recorder to capture One News for me.
I make no comment on the quality of what was broadcast, just thought you might be interested to know the quantity. You can work out the ratios in your news hour. All times approximate to a few seconds.
One News, Monday April 14
Intro/Preview: Kahui case, immunisation, rain brings end of the golden weather, a successful swimmer: 35 seconds
Item Crime: Kahui case, cross live to journalist, footage of Chris Kahui arriving at court, court footage etc. 3 minutes 05 seconds.
Item Crime: Taito Philip Field facing corruption charges, cross to journalist, court footage etc. 1.55
Item Health: mass immunisation campaign ends, interviews. 2.05
Item Crime: Missing Christchurch teenager, footage. 35 seconds
Item Weather: Rain brings relief to farmers, live cross and interviews. 2.30
Item Weather: Jim (“Jimmy”) Hickey with weather update and preview. 25 seconds
Outro: “Ahead on One News”. 15 seconds
Advertisements including channel promos 4.00
Close Up promo. 20 seconds
Item Crime: Hawkes Bay murder trial, court footage etc. 1.50
Item Politics: Labour idea to use public service pamphlets quashed by PM. 2.05
Item Politics International: Zimbabwe elections. 20 seconds
Item Politics International: Olympic torch in Tanzania. 18 seconds
Item Human Interest: Weapon goes awry in USA and shrapnel falls into house. 33 seconds
Item Weather Brief: Jim Hickey and live cam images: 55 seconds
“Coming up” 20 seconds
Close Up promo 18 seconds
Advertisement including channel promos. 3.50
Item Special Report: Teens and drug rehab. 2.55
Item Crime: Manslaughter trial in Blenheim: 38 seconds
Item Obituary: Death of Dame Augusta Wallace. 20 seconds
Sharemarket report and exchange rate 35 seconds
Item Crime/interview: UK's Lord Ashcroft who posted reward for missing war medals in NZ. 1.45
Recap of headlines (Kahui, immunisation, drought broken). 35 seconds
Sport preview Tony Veitch. 45 seconds
Advertisements including channel promos 4.00
Tony Veitch with sport and magazine-style footage. 11.50
Back-announce “still to come” and cross to Paul Henry about Close Up content. 35 seconds.
Advertisements and channel promos. 3.45
Weather Jim Hickey. 4.50
Item Human Interest: Giant barbecue cook-off in Uruguay. 25 seconds
“And that is One News this Monday”
“Now over to Paul Henry with Close Up . . .”
Righto, another new and hilarious Flight of the Conchords track is posted at Elsewhere.
Enjoy.
And should anyone want to time the 3 News tonight . . .