Detailed Analysis of Video Journalism in A Current Affair Program

This report analyzes video journalism within the Australian television program "A Current Affair," focusing on news segments aired on April 4th, 5th, and 6th of 2019. The report examines how journalist Tracy Grimshaw presents news stories, assessing aspects such as innovation, content breadth, delivery style, and story analysis, including interviews. The analysis includes coverage of a dementia patient targeted by a scam, the Geoffrey Rush defamation case, and a story involving a nursing home and accusations of property damage. The report evaluates the effectiveness of the journalism, the content delivery, and the ethical considerations in presenting these stories to the public, drawing on the work of authors such as Blankenship, Bull, and Cohen.

Video Journalism

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Main Body ......................................................................................................................................1
News (4th April).........................................................................................................................1
News (5th April).........................................................................................................................2
Analysis of the content................................................................................................................2
New (6th April)...........................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

Introduction
Video journalism is being considered as a form of journalism, where a journalist presents
the content of a story in a video material (Ottesen, 2017). Present report will show an Australian
famous Television program named as A Current Affair which is being broadcast every week
night on the Nine Network. Along with this, report will cover the news which was presented on
4th, 5th and 6th April of this year. This report will basically cover how Tracy Grimshaw (Journalist
and Television presenter) has presented all the information from (innovation, content, breadth of
story coverage, delivery, style, story analysis and interviewees).
Main Body
News (4th April)
Joyce Pascoe, a 89 year old lady with dementia was targeted by a man in Australia. The
news have represented that a man with red shirt was taking money from Joyce again and again in
the name of payment of tree lopping. The news reported named as Tracy Grimshaw have further
represented that conman have took over $70K from victim as she is not able to remember that
amount has been already paid by her in first attempt only (Dementia sufferer loses almost $70k
in tree-lopping scam, 2019). Mark son of Joyce have investigated whole issue in order to identify
overall amount paid by the dementia suffering patient (Blankenship, 2016). At next TV
journalist have declared that conman was taking amount in the form of cheques. Approximately
in the incident year around 19 cheques were released by Joyce in which minimum amount was of
$1500 on the other hand maximum was of $8000. On the basis of Marks belief, it can be said
that Joyce's dementia have made life of his mother vulnerable. Mark have also reported whole
incident to police but due memory loss issue Joyce is not able to recall names of people who
have looted her. Along with this, Joyce was also not having any paper record that could have
helped cops in identifying criminals. Later, Marks have thought to go for detectives get justice.
Analysis of the content
The content delivered through A current affair TV program, it can be said that overall
description of incident was fine as readers are able to understand whole incident. Tracy
Grimshaw have clear elaborated overall situation in descriptive manner and told whole story by
covering information from the point of view of Joyce as well as Mark. Delivery of story have
also told about that at some point point Mark was frustrated due to medical disability of his
1

mother that is dementia. Along with this, When Joyce learnt about whole scenario when she got
angry as how people could take negative advantage of her health condition (Bull, 2015). The
picturization of overall news was good enough to allow users to understand whole scenario. In
addition to this, lighting, voice volume, colour, background, clarity etc. all of these things were
clear enough to make it possible for learners to develop their knowledge on the same. The
evaluation is also done on the basis story coverage which are done by journalist of news channel.
In context to present news of 89 year old Joyce, Journalist of channel Nine Network have
covered overall story very clearly without diverting its actual concept in front of learners. Along
with this, meida man have also followed all their ethical values during interacting with Joyce as
well as Mark in order to not harm their sentiments and grab information on whole incident. The
overall evaluation of News on Joyce suffering dementia is captured and represented in very
genuine manner that have helped learners in understanding actual cause of dementia and how
people are taking its advantage and affecting life of others negatively. In a whole-sum it can be
said that news report was gathered and presented in effective manner that is helpful learners.
News (5th April)
On the April 5th, 2019 in A Current Affair, Tracy has showed the case of famous
Australian Actor, Geoffrey Rush winner of Oscar basically has proven as non guilty (Winner) in
Defamation Case (sexual harassment allegations) by Justice Michael Wigney but what he
actually mentioned in front of the public was that “No one was basically called as a winner”.
Actually, what happened was News Corp. (Geoffrey Rush defamation trial: your questions
answered, 2019). which has owned Daily Telegraph newspaper has published an article
regarding Geoffrey Rush which showed that he sexually harassed and inappropriately touched a
female co-star during a Sydney theatre production of King Lear. For the same, Geoffrey Rush
has sued Daily Telegraph newspaper because he said that he did not do anything wrong. Along
with this, it can also be said that in this Rush was specifically said that article has showed that he
is a “pervert”, or a “sexual predator”. As he committed a sexual assault on a co-worker at
production site.
Analysis of the content
and interviewees
If it is talked about overall presentation of the content which was presented in A Current
Affair, it can easily be said that information about Geoffrey Rush was pretty much clear but
2

actually it was vivid because, in some areas Tracy has mentioned that Geoffrey was the assaulter
and in some sections program showed that Geoffrey did not attempted sexual activities while
working with the co-worker. Away with this, if focus is being done upon innovation it can easily
be said that Nine Network has used high technology based cameras where they used slow motion
picturisation and this has helped them in presenting the information much more realistic than it
was. On the other hand, if it is talked about breadth of overall story, content was pretty much
clear and the area which was chosen was much more wider because there are many case came in
front where celebrities got obliged for the unethical acts like assault/sexual harassment even
when they did not do anything (Harcup, 2015). Therefore, covering this area was much more
fruitful to convening about the defamation case to the public of Geoffrey Rush. On the other
hand, style which was used by Tracy was aggressive communicational style considering an
approach of “You’ll hear it, You’ll see it and You may even feel it.”, and managed to offer
viewers with different range information at a wider context.
Therefore, it can easily be said that the overall program which was showed on April 5th,
2019 was particularly clear enough and it also helped Tracy analysing the whole scenario and in
the ending part it was clearly showed that Geoffrey Rush was basically did not do anything
wrong and may be this is why, all the obligations were removed from him.
New (6th April)
As per the news represented by Tracy Grimshaw on Channel Nine Networks, it has been
seen that, Thea (Granddaughter of Shirley) have accused home of her Shirley Rees, 93 old lady
shifted to nursing home due to her non supporting health condition that is dementia (Woman
accused of ‘trashing’ her frail grandmother’s 100-year-old home, 2019). The reporter have
initially stated that house was owned by Shirley and her husband but when Shirley was shifted to
nursing home she has gave responsibility of her house to her daughter and son named as Alana
and Merrick. After the death of Alana, responsibility of house was handed over to Thea
(daughter of Alana). TV Journalist have further stated that Thea have not incorporated her
responsibility properly and accused home of her grand parents very badly. Behaviour of Thea is
very wild as she does not care for any one not even her ancestors property. At next picturisation
of Nine Networks channel have reflected that Merrick is very angry on Thea and he is also much
depressed for Shirley as her beloved home is not in the same condition which have been left by
3

her six and a half year ago. The reporter have further declared that this home became nine hour
spot for police which is waiting for a suspect.
Analysis of the content
On the basis of news represented by Tracy Grimshaw, it can be said that content
represented by specific Journalist was satisfactory as news shown by her was clear and
understandable. Along with this, content delivered by her was effective self explanatory as
background represented in news was supporting actual theme which reporter wants to explain to
viewers (Cohen, 2015). At further, it can be said that area used for story coverage was quite low
as all things were not able to represent properly. Interviewee in the news was much disappointed
and sad as his niece has spoiled his mother's house and made it very much trashed which now
looks as the place where police is looking for suspect.
CONCLUSION
With the help of above mentioned report, it is being concluded that A Current Affair has
been a crucial TV program that helps in enhancing the knowledge level of public. Along with
this, it also critically analysed the different range of way of thinking of people that are presented
in the program.
4

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Blankenship, J. C., 2016. Losing their “mojo”? Mobile journalism and the deprofessionalization
of television news work. Journalism Practice. 10(8). pp.1055-1071.
Bull, A., 2015. Multimedia journalism: a practical guide. Routledge.
Cohen, N. S., 2015. Entrepreneurial journalism and the precarious state of media work. South
Atlantic Quarterly. 114(3). pp.513-533.
Harcup, T., 2015. Journalism: principles and practice. Sage.
Ottesen, R., 2017. Video games as war propaganda: Can peace journalism offer an alternative
approach. Peace journalism in times of war. 13. pp.93-110.
Online
Woman accused of ‘trashing’ her frail grandmother’s 100-year-old home. 2019. [Online].
Available Through: <https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/dementia-sufferer-
loses-almost-dollar70k-in-tree-lopping-scam/ar-BBVRYY7?li=AAgfIYZ&p=DevEx
%2C5043.1>.
Dementia sufferer loses almost $70k in tree-lopping scam. 2019. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/dementia-sufferer-loses-almost-dollar70k-
in-tree-lopping-scam/ar-BBVRYY7?li=AAgfIYZ&p=DevEx%2C5043.1>.
Geoffrey Rush defamation trial: your questions answered. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/apr/11/geoffrey-rush-defamation-trial-your-
questions-answered>.
5