Issue

BBC News

Accuracy

National and
International news
aims to deliver
hard facts based
on current events.
Any inaccuracies
in a report can
lead to viewers
losing faith in
what is being
reported to them.

Balance

The news is
typically balanced
as both sides of
an issue will be
explored to allow
viewers the
choice to agree or
disagree. There
have been in
some cases
claims of new
reports aiming to
scare viewers,
however this is
more based on
viewer opinion
over fact.

Subject/Objecti
vity

The news aims to

present objective
points in their
news. However as
they can feature
views of the
public based on
both sides of an
issue, it can also
present subjective
points within their
reports.
The news does

Representatio

Bowling for
Columbine
Using an extremely
shocking event, the
Columbine High
School massacre,
explores the roots
of Americas
predilection for gun
violence. Using
eyewitness
testimonies and
various footage
and statements
from the NRA,
presents facts
around the issue.
While the
documentary does
explore both sides
of the issue, this
documentary is not
as balanced as the
creator Michael
Moore clearly has
his own views on
the matter.

Completely
subjective as
Michael Moore is
clearly on a
mission to end the
acceptance of free
gun ownership in
the United States.

The representation

Life on Earth
Through scientific
knowledge and
understanding,
facts about life on
the planet is
presented with
video footage to
prove to
audiences what is
being said.

Where the series

focuses on
delivering
scientifically
accurate
information, over
information
based on opinion,
there is little
reason for
presenting a
balanced
arguments. An
eagle catching its
prey cannot be
presented on a
balanced base of
argument as the
footage speaks
for itself.
This style of
documentary is
objective as the
facts cannot be
argued with.
Combined with
narrative to
accompany the
footage, viewers
are witness the
events for
themselves.
Representation

Bias/Impartial

Opinion

not create
personas or look
for stereotypes to
feature in their
reports. When a
report is given
from a war zone,
viewers are given
a true
representation of
the conditions
people are living
in. Another
example is the
London Riots, the
news featured
teenagers
involved in the
riots along with
adults making it
clear this was not
contained to a
single generation.
While you may
consider the news
to be impartial, it
falls more into a
bias category. The
reports have been
requested to be
written based off
of a single angle.
If the report is
exposing some
political scandal,
the politicians will
have an
opportunity to
respond to claims.
However the
essence of the
report is to
expose over
offering proof of
the report being
inaccurate.
The news is based
on public opinions
to drive a story
within a report.

in Bowling for
Columbine is
interesting as it
does feature
people exactly the
way they are.
However when you
consider the
contrast of his
interview with
Charlton Heston
who is pro-gun
ownership, there is
a clear
representation that
he is living a life a
luxury compared to
the victims of the
shooting at
Columbine High
School.

for a wildlife
documentary
tends not to be
an issue as it is
difficult to
misrepresent the
lifestyles of the
subject matter.
The best example
of representation
in an animal
based
documentary is
seen in Black
Fish that
exposes the cruel
conditions
captive Orca live
under compared
to their wild
relatives.

With his strong

views on free gun
control, Bowling for
Columbine is
clearly bias in the
presentation of the
facts with many
added cut-away
clips that clearly
reflect Michael
Moores opinion of
guns being a
problem and not a
solution.

Impartial, wild
animals will be
act a certain way
simply because
the cameras are
there. There is no
way to alter this,
resulting in an
impartial report
on the lives and
habits of those
being
documented.

The entire purpose

being this
documentary is
comparing the

While the
majority of
wildlife
documentaries do

Opinions of both
the reporters and
the public can be
what assists them
in finding the
headlines to
report on.

various opinions of
gun control in the
U.S. While there is
more emphasis on
an anti-gun
approach, it does
present opinions of
those who are progun also.

Access/Privacy

For large news

companies access
is normally freely
given. The only
real time access is
not given in
courtrooms.
Instead artists are
allowed to take
notes and
drawing which will
then be used
during reports,
but this
information is still
limited.

Contract with
the Viewer

While the news is

available for all, it
is mostly based
on the content
being reported
that will
manipulate
viewer

While all access

was obtained for
filming, there has
been some
controversy as to
how it was
achieved. Claims
have been made of
access being
granted under false
pretexts. For
example, the bank
seen giving new
account holders a
free rifle claim they
were approached
to film for a story
on unique business
across America.
They also claim
they were
convinced to have
Moores rifle ready
for him to take
from the bank
instead of their
usual policy of mail
delivery.
While controversial,
the documentary
had a high
engagement due to
the subject matter
being an issue the
majority have an
opinion on.

not focus on
opinions, it does
allow for some to
creep in. While
we understand
much about the
animal kingdom,
some have habits
that we still do
not understand,
allowing opinions
to play a part in
understanding
them.
A wildlife
documentary will
have to gain
access for filming
in certain areas,
such as national
parks and wildlife
reverses. Much
like any other
production, they
will have to gain
the permission of
the authorities to
be allowed
filming
permission, which
is typically
granted.

Wildlife
documentaries
rarely see
productions for
mainstream
broadcast. This is
due to the
material not

engagement.
Reports on
coming elections,
education and
healthcare are
more likely to
increase viewing
rating over a
report of a factory
fire.

Depending on the
viewers opinion
would then
determine their
reaction to the
documentary.

appealing on a
level to
audiences as
highly as
documentary
revolving around
a current issue in
society. However
Wildlife
documentaries do
have a clear
following with
channels now
dedicated to their
broadcast.