Viewers Values And Emotions In Order example essay topic
An example of how current affairs benefit from provoking emotion from an audience is "America Mourns" by Jennifer Byrne from Foreign Correspondent". Selection of Detail, Emotive Language, proximity and the structure of the news story create the opportunity of emotional response. The process of adding, cutting and editing the information acquired, helps the Current Affairs (CA) programme construct and develop the themes and meanings it wishes. By controlling the information of the whole story, Jennifer Byrne is able to propose a 'one sided' view to appeal to the viewer and provoke an emotional response. 'America Mourns' contains many examples of how a theme or idea is developed to produce an emotional reaction from the viewer through the selection of detail. From the opening statements, the news story only presents sympathetic information that may appeal to a viewer.
"Here, desperate hope meets biter reality". This quote is Jennifer Byrnes commentary as mourners and family members contact the list of the identified. In reference to the statistics of the dead organised by volunteers, the segment is edited and selected to only display and commentate the sad and "bitter" examples. There were no examples of any people finding some closure by finding there lost one as been identified.
The viewer is unable to gain any perspective, which forces the sympathetic emotions of depression and sadness to be consolidated in the viewers mind and constantly provoke a set response. Jennifer Byrne is practically enabled to tap into the viewer's mind and trigger emotional values and provoke an expected attitude towards the event. Jennifer Byrnes use of emotive language allows her to connect information and images with viewers' emotional values and attitude. Her careful choice of detail creates an emotional perspective of the devastation caused by the Terrorists on September 11. Her vocabulary during the segment consists mostly of very descriptive words.
She is able to emphasize and expand on her narration of the tragedy, which is very effective in reaching the viewer on an emotional level. An example of Jennifer's descriptive language is her description of the Twin Towers after the attacks. "Battlefield New York"Disaster Zone" By referring to the New York crash site as a 'Battlefield', Byrne emphasizes the physical destruction of the Towers. The examples of 'Disaster Zone' and 'Battlefield' further influence the viewer to respond sympathetically to New Yorkers as the victims.
It also allows the programme to affect the viewers' emotional values and express a bitter and angry attitude towards the culprits. By bringing the story 'closer' to the viewer, the presenter is more likely to achieve an expected response. The Proximity provokes an emotional reflection of the viewers' values and attitude. Issues relating the viewer are more likely to receive a response. "The World has changed, things will never be the same again" Australian viewers are provoked to respond to an American tragedy through quotes like this. As Jennifer walks through the streets of New York, she questions how things could ever be the same and describes how the whole world has been effected.
As a viewer, you are positioned to believe that this tragedy has affected your lifestyle and become 'closer to home'. In order for the news story to encourage a particular response form an Australian audience, Jennifer must relate the event and ideas to the viewer. The news story receives extended favor if they can provoke the viewers' to become involve like this. Another example of proximity included by Jennifer is in an interview. The man getting interviewed describes the victims as being the average people, the 'real' people. He brings it to the viewers' attention that these people were the hard working people of the country.
The viewer is encouraged to find similarities between these innocent victims and their own hardworking values and ethics. The strategic placement of topics during the presentation is also an effective technique of making an emotional impact on the viewer. 'America Mourns' was divided into four main segments. The Horror of what happened, what it means for people, stories of human spirit, and the reflective judgment of Jennifer Byrne. The most important and effective segment in the story is Jennifer's conclusion where she adds personal and universal opinions. She is able to include her emotive language and descriptive detail in her reflection, leaving the viewer with a sense of emphasis on the emotional meanings.
Her summary involves all the techniques of Current Affairs, which position the viewer to become more emotionally vulnerable and easier to persuade into an expected response. In conclusion, Current Affairs success relies on viewers' emotions and attitudes. They must appeal and 'tap' into the readers mind in order to gain viewers and therefore being effective. Techniques used by Jennifer Byrne in 'America Mourns' position the viewer to a certain theme and issue. The strategically organised techniques all lead to the viewer being effected emotionally and then provoke and persuaded into an expected response. The viewer's point of view may be influenced due to the emotional and sympathetic messages that these techniques convey.