Television Journalists Visit Year 5

Yesterday, Year 5 were visited via Zoom by Channel 5 and ITV journalists Charlotte Grant and Will Mott. This was a valuable opportunity for the pupils to hear firsthand from two seasoned television reporters, as they prepare to create their own news broadcasts for an at-home learning assignment.

During the session, Ms Grant and Mr Mott first talked about the most important elements of broadcast news reporting. They noted the importance of choosing powerful images to tell the story, along with compelling interview subjects. In deciding on which element of the story to focus on, they suggested that the pupils ask themselves, ‘What’s the first thing I would tell my best friend about the story?’

Ms Grant then showed the class three different examples of stories she has reported on, and how she chose the camera shots for each. The pair discussed the differences between presenting in a studio and reporting on a story on location, noting that one of the challenges of reporting outside of a studio is the need to memorize your lines rather than relying on an autocue. Mr Mott spoke from experience, telling the class that ‘If you forget your lines on live television it’s very embarrassing!’

The pupils then asked some excellent questions – including whether it’s strange to look at the camera when reporting, how to react to an interviewee, what type of voice and expression to use, and how to focus when there’s a lot of distraction around you. The class took full advantage of the opportunity to learn more about TV journalism, and should be well prepared to create some outstanding news stories of their own!