DIGITAL STORYTELLING!

convergence element dominates the newscast, often at the expense of othernews content.Q: Is the production or production element a major consideration whenevaluating the convergence element?A: Without question! WFLA uses the computer repeatedly, to such a point that itis possible to argue that the computer is a symbol for convergence. Bydefinition, symbols convey meaning. Murray Edelman (1971) writes, “Everysymbol stands for something other than itself…and it also evokes an attitude,a set of impressions, or a pattern of events associated through time, throughspace, through logic, or through imagination” (p.6). Edelman (1971) arguesthat visual symbols are never neutral. When looking at this data, Edelman’sobservations are profound. Hence, it could be argued that for most viewers thecomputer is a definition for convergence. It is symbolic of a modern, moreinformed public. It is, therefore, difficult for the viewer to think of WFLA inany other term. As a result, the notion of WFLA having more information isnot only evident but effective. Additionally, WFLA routinely promotes itself asbeing ‘On Your Side.’ Every story, every franchise (sports, weather,investigative report) is introduced using this message. By using theirpromotional message and by associating the content of the newscast repeatedlywith the use of computers as a source of information, they in fact are sayingthat they provide more information than anyone else in the market. ForWFLA, the computer visual is now and forever a symbol of ‘convergence,’ andusing the visual repeatedly in covering news events achieves what a narrativemight not. This production method also serves to reinforce for the viewer theidea that the operation is providing information using every means available tothem.Q: To what extent does the convergence element contribute to content?A: Only when both WTSP and WFLA broadcast a story that will appear in thenext morning’s newspaper does the convergence element contribute tocontent. In WFLA’s case, however, the story is generally introduced as atelevision news story that tags, or sends the viewer to the paper for moreinformation.Q: Is the convergence element in the newscast asking the viewer to use othersenses than the visual one?A: In most cases the elements include the use of both the visual and aural senses.However, the visual sense does play a dominant role in parts of the newscastthat traditionally do not include news, i.e. weather.Q: What is the form of the information/directive within each sense?A: There is always a visual logo appearing on the screen when the anchors ask theviewer to go to the Internet and that logo for WFLA clearly is a computerQ: Is there an audio refrain, such as a whoosh, or click sound?A: No, only the verbal or non-verbal element is part of the message driving theviewer to the convergence partner.Q: How does the convergence element appear in the newscast? And does theappearance contribute to the production or to the content?A: Here the two stations are dramatically different. For WFLA there is often text,and the text tends to mirror that which appears on a computer screen. Theimage always follows the verbal message and the verbal message nevercontributes to content; it simply promotes, in a tag, the convergence tool. Thetag is always about twenty and as long as fifty-five seconds in length. Visually,WFLA consistently uses bright colors, music, graphics, and moving computerscreens to present the convergence element, while WTSP does not. Moreoften, WTSP simply has a red, black, and white over-the-shoulder graphic topresent their newspaper partner and a full screen black-on-gray graphic with asmall black arrow pointing to a black dot (to represent a computer icon) onthe screen to reference their website. However, as with their newspaper partnerthe content (or information) is paramount and the tag referencing the St.Petersburg Times is never more than four seconds in length. Given that theinformation is news (information not yet presented) and the convergenceelement is short, it could be argued that for WTSP the convergence elementcontributes to content. (Example)Q: How many different stories appear on WFLA versus WTSP.A: Here-in lies the crux of this study. As stated, there are, in total 585 stories forWFLA and 631 for WSTP news. However, our methods dictated that everysingle individual story or element of a story be accounted for. This is aparticularly important point because when the production elements and thepromotional messages for convergence are removed WFLA consistently has farfewer stories than WTSP. For example, a typical WFLA 6 p.m. newscast:6pm Show open 20 seconds/promo sets up newscast6:00:20 Lead-in to Team coverage/8 on you side hype1.6:00:40 Sick Building Syndrome Live package-reporter live.6:02:17 Question and answer talent/reporter6:02:39 Anchor tag2.6:02:49 Anchor/voice over graphic: Symptoms to look for with the illnesses, etc.3.6:03:49 Sends viewer to Internet partner as tag.Now we have a lot more information about the illness online. To access thatinformation go to TBO.com click on links we mentioned then choose SickBuilding Syndrome.6:03:58 out (August 20, WFLA).Here, using our method of analysis, there are 3 different and separate newsstories, taking up nearly four minutes of the newscast. However in relation tocontent, there is, in actuality only one individual story being covered.Additionally, given the length and content of the information there seems tobe little reason to send the viewer to the Internet. Nonetheless, the productionof the newscast dictates the content be provided to the viewer. Again, this is atypical WFLA newscast. When this information is taken together with theactual total number of ‘different’ news stories aired, WTSP provides moreinformation.34Feedback February 2003 (Vol. 44, No. 1)BEA—Educating tomorrow’s electronic media professionals 35