About Newscasting

Newscasting is another word for broadcast journalism, the presentation of news on television and radio. Newscasting has been a popular form of journalism since the early 20th century and has outpaced newspapers and other forms of print news as the most common way people get the news. Television is by far the most popular news source, according to a 2008 Pew survey.

History

Radio and television newscasting evolved in the 20th century and began to quickly overtake newspapers. The first licensed radio station, KDKA, was founded in 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Television followed in the 1940s and '50s. News broadcasts began on radio as commentaries and gained popularity during World War II, thanks to the reporting of Edward R. Murrow. Radio's newscasts moved on to television and created the traditional newscast format we have today.

Types

Newscasts are most commonly seen in the typical anchor-driven, fast-paced format seen on local and national news shows. Newscasts also can be more specific, focusing on one topic, such as sports. They also can be in the form of newsmagazines, longer programs reporting a few stories more in-depth rather than a quick overview. The birth of CNN in 1980 created a 24 hour news cycle, which allowed people to access the news whenever they wanted. Radio newscasts can vary widely from short "rip and read" bits where a broadcaster reports the headlines to more in-depth programming on networks such as National Public Radio.

Structure

While anchors and reporters are the public faces of a newscast, there are many others that work hard to put together the program. The news director organizes and delegates the stories. The sales manager generates the program's income by selling advertising time and promoting the program, and engineers supervise the camera crew and make sure the broadcast runs smoothly.

Controversy

Television newscasts in particular have a tremendous effect on how people view the news. Accusations of bias are rampant, but more significant are problems such as the emphasis on entertainment rather than substance and the ever decreasing length of sound bites and the viewer attention span. Today's newscasts are criticized as being more about entertaining than informing the viewer, focusing on the lives of celebrities rather than the problems with society.

Potential

As with other forms of journalism, newscasts face an uncertain future. With more people getting their news from the Internet, newscasts are constantly looking for new ways to innovate and maintain their viewers.