PROGRAMMES FORMAT

1.0 INTRODUCTION    

The term programme in radio production refers to the various meaningful sounds produced by human beings or recorded sounds used to fill the airtime to be heard but not seen. That is why radio is called the “blind medium”. Since radio is meant for the ear, one should use words and phrases that would bring out meanings clearly by being precise in the use of language. The various types of radio programmes are referred to as programme format. They include documentaries, features, magazines, discussions and news programmes (Idebi,2008:9).

2.0 OBJECTIVES

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

1. define Programme and Programme Appreciation 
2.  explain the terms Documentary and Features 
3. explain programme functions and distinguish News from other programmes.

4.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Definition of Programme

Someone begins by thinking of an event, occurrence or an idea which has influenced his or her opinion or belief about real life situation. He or she may also imagine a situation that needs to be addressed. It is the concepts that either deal with real life situation or imagine occurrences that are treated through processes that are called programmes.

Owuamalam (2007:62) states that in programmes, issues to be addressed must be identified and extracted, as a societal problem to be solved. They must be properly delimited so that the boundaries of performance can be assessed and determined. For example, obnoxious widowhood practices can be a nightmare to women, whose husbands are very sick or about to die. Women are treated as if they are responsible for their husbands’ death. Such an issue that affects a segment of the society can be put up for the public to examine through a broadcast programme.

3.2 Programme Appreciation

can be appreciated from the background that it takes a lot of events and issues to be put together in an artistic and creative manner to present the experience to the audience. The events and materials so chosen or selected to be used in a performance have to be carefully selected and structurally organised to put a worthwhile programme that meets the standard and objective of the station and also meets the audience needs. Programme production is not a one man affair.

According to Owuamalam (2007:3), it combines the activities of the conceptual or non–technical and interpretative or technical personnel, to produce an experience for its audience. It is the optimal utilisation of people, funds and property, in a creative and profitable manner that gives the team experience, which produces the programmes that are consumed by the station’s audience. It brings skills, talents and proficiency together, in an artistic form, in order to produce programmes.

Generally, programmes do not last long on the mind of the audience. It is all over as soon as they end. It is therefore the duty of the producers to think of what is capable of holding that attention of the audience after the programme has ended. The audiences usually hold the station in high esteem if its programmes can hold their attention.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1 

1. How do audience members appreciate a broadcast station and its programmes?

3.3 Documentary Programmes

Documentary comes from the word document. And it is a systematic presentation of information based on reality and actuality. It is based on sound of human voices, human activity and music in revealing the events or recreating the events.

Idebi (2008:9) is of the view that documentary programmes are often derived from preserved and historical documents that are used to embellish the information. The beautification of its illustration is woven together through narration, sound effects such as music, rain or thunder effects.
Documentary programmes are made up of historical, biographical, scientific, mythical, religious and docu-drama. We shall treat one after another as follows:

1.  Historical Documentary: This is based on present as well as past events which may be of important to either the people or the nation historically. 
2.  Biographical Documentary: This type of documentary is based on the lives of heroes or those who have achieved one thing or the other in the society. The documentary programme takes a look at their background, frustrations and achievements in the course of their struggles. Such programmes are based on visual, audio, pictorial and sometimes they are acted featuring characters that bear close resemblance with such persons. For example, an American film of Idi Amin of Uganda. 
3.  Scientific Documentary: Such documentaries are based on issues such as science, technology, engineering and medicine. 
4. Religious Documentary: This is a religious based type of documentary and in most cases they are acted out. Here the producer has to be conscious of the setting and location. 
5. Docu-drama: Such documentary is educative in nature. The actor’s motive is to highlight or demonstrate the effects of a wrong act. 

Under normal circumstances, documentaries last between 15 and 60 minutes. However, some may last longer than this.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2

1. Name and discuss the types of documentary programmes you know. 

3.4 Feature Programmes

The feature is an extended news story which gives more depth to events. It is a human interest story that tells about people, places, issues, and situations. It is a journalistic story that is comprehensive and interesting (Sambe 2007:1). The feature story has its unique character which by every standard distinguishes it from the news. Feature story tends to be original and descriptive. It is original in ideas and writing skills.

Des Wilson (2000:77) affirms that the timeliness of feature is relative with regards to its content and purpose, and is usually longer than a news story.  Okoye (1998:15 – 16), cited in Sambe (2007:1) sees feature as an in depth and factual write-up on a topical issue which seeks to give comprehensive information in a more captivating and relaxed style than straight news.

Feature deals principally with facts rather than opinion and is usually not perishable. It is valid all the time unlike the straight news.

Feature writing needs focusing, understanding, thinking and care. It contains more information, more explanation, interpretation details and analysis. The major function of features is to add colour, to educate, to entertain, and to illuminate. Features tend to be based on profile of people who make the news; they explain events more; they give analyses of what is happening in the world, nation or community; they teach the audience how to do a particular thing; they suggest better ways to live and they examine trends and entertain readers.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 3 

1. What are the principal functions of features? 

3.5 Programme Audience

According to Owuamalam (2007:46), an audience for the broadcast programme is defined as group of individuals who converge at certain points where the television or radio sets are placed, in order to satisfy a purpose. The audience members tend to derive satisfaction from the programme they watch or listen to. Therefore there must be some specific reactions for such audience to devout their time in respect of the programme.

Members of the audience have various reasons for the consumption of specific programmes. For example, the American invasion of Iraq may appeal to different persons in various ways. To some, it seems as if America and its allies doing their own thing. To others it would be how the Iraqis have reacted to the invasion of their country. Still others would want to know how world bodies like the United Nations have reacted. Yet some might want to know the reaction of the Arab League and other international organisations including humanitarian and even governmental organisations.

It can now be seen that one news item satisfies segments of the audience in different ways. This brings us to how and why news is designed to meet the various aspirations of individual members of the audience through various ways. At times, programmes are produced mainly for local audience. In such circumstance, the programme may be conducted in the local language and the use of costumes and even make–up would be the ones prevalent in that area.

A programme meant for a heterogeneous audience would be produced in the official or business language used by the audience, for example, English language would be used in the case of Nigeria.

What brings the audience members together is the interest they have in the programme. As soon as the programme expires the audience disperses. Such audience lacks leadership just like a crowd. Time for individual relationship and intimacy is limited by the duration of the programme. In one way or the other audience must be interested otherwise the members will not participate in the programme.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 4

1. Define Programme Audience. 

3.6 News Programmes: Values

If there are no events, there will be no news and therefore no history will be made. This is a clear indication that news is normally associated with events. Sambe (2008:16) states that news is an account of an event meant for the audience and it affects a reasonable member of people vicariously.

Owuamalam (2007:221) declares that news, as an account of an event, which has happened, should stimulate human interest and curiosity in the incident or activity. People must have the desire to know what has happened. It is the satisfaction of the information need of the society that makes news desirable, relevant and significant, as a broadcast programme.
Akinfeleye (1987:96), cited in Folarin (1998:11), that news is an account of unusual events which is more or less compel reporting, it is an account of what the public wants to know, what they must know, what they ought to know, and it is an accurate and unbiased account of a timely event that is of human interest to the newspaper reader, radio listener or TV viewer.

It is, therefore, the newsworthiness of news that is usually referred to as news. If, for example, a dog bites a man, it does not make news as much as if a man is reported to have bitten a dog. What makes news should have human interest, it must or should contain some amount of oddity, and it should not be too distant to those it is meant to satisfy. It should have prominence; it should be timely or should have immediacy that is; it should not be stale. It should be of consequence and be significant to the lives of the audience or people generally.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 5

1. What are the attributes of news? 

4.0 CONCLUSION

In this section we have looked at the definition of Programme in radio production, programme appreciation, documentary and feature programmes and finally we have attempted to talk about these sub–themes as clearly and explicit as it is humanly possible.

5.0 SUMMARY

Radio programmes can either be imagined or based on real life situation. All programmes that are to be treated on radio must be properly delimited. Programmes range from discussion to documentary, drama to news. What counts very much is that, whatever format the programme assumes, it must be of human interest. And each type of programme is unique in its peculiar production process and format.

6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT

1. Programme production is not a one man affair. Discuss with 
2. particular reference to radio production. 
3.  What are the major differences between feature and documentary programmes? 

3. What is news?

Question 1: Radio programme production combines the activities of personnel. It is the optimal utilisation of people, funds and property, in a creative and profitable manner that gives the team experience, which produces the programmes that are consumed by the station’s audience. It brings skills, talents and proficiency together, in an artistic form, in order to produce programmes.

Programmes do not last long on the mind of the audience. It is all over as soon as they end. It is therefore the duty of the producers to think of what is capable of holding attention of the audience after the programme has ended. The audience usually hold the station in high esteem if its programmes can hold their attention.

Question 2: Documentary programmes are a systematic presentation of information based on reality and actuality. The programmes are based on sound of human voices, human activity and music in revealing the events or recreating the events.

Documentary programmes are made up of historical, biographical, scientific, mythical, religious and docu-drama. On the other hand feature is an extended news story which gives more depth to events. It is a human interest story that tells about people, places, issues, and situations. It is a journalistic story that is comprehensive and interesting. The feature story has its unique character which by every standard distinguishes it from the news. Feature story tends to be original and descriptive. It is original in ideas and writing skills.

Question 3: If there are no events, there will be no news and therefore no history will be made. This is a clear indication that news is normally associated with events. News is as much as an account of an event, which has happened, should stimulate human interest and curiosity in the incident or activity. News is an account of unusual events which more or less compel reporting, it is an account of what the public wants to know, what they must know, what they ought to know, and it is an accurate and unbiased account of a timely event that is of human interest to the newspaper reader, radio listener or TV viewer. It is, therefore, the newsworthiness of news that is usually referred to as news.