Radio news report

Listen to the headlines and the news in brief on Today (BBC Radio 4) and, focusing on the story about the attack on the twins, discuss the following:

  • What headlines and news in brief reports come before and after the story?
  • What does this tell us about the significance given to this story?
  • Who do you think the target audience is for this programme?

BBC Radio 4 Today – 20th March 2017

Headlines
2min 39 sec

"A man is being held on suspicion of the murder of a one year old boy in Finsbury Park, in North London, and the attempted murder of a girl thought to be his twin sister. Bidhya Sagar Das who is believed to be the children’s father was arrested in Hackney last night. The girl is in hospital in a critical but stable condition."

Listen to the report in brief on Today (BBC Radio 4) and discuss the prompts

  • What details about the story are given to the audience in the brief report?
  • Consider the mode of address used to deliver this report.

Listen to the report on Today (BBC Radio 4) and discuss the prompts

  • Codes and conventions of a news report
  • Consider the mode of address used to deliver the story.
  • How are the audience positioned when hearing this report?
  • How does the report incorporate points of view and values of either the reporters or the BBC?
  • How has the man been represented in this report?

Twenty-three minutes to seven.
A man has been arrested in connection with the death of a baby boy. Another child, thought to be his twin, has been injured. Catherine Stanchesen is our reporter on this story (audibly upset). Tragic story Catherine, erm, what do we know about the man?
Er, well, erm, this scene, this street that I’m standing on in Finsbury Park at the moment has been, er, a scene of intense police activity over the last 24 hours. The Metropolitan Police put out a statement last night saying that a 33 year old man had been arrested in the Hackney area. Er, he’s believed to be Bidhya Sagar Das, thought to be the children’s father who police had earlier on yesterday, er, put out an appeal saying they wanted to speak to him in connection with this incident. Police called on Saturday night, late on, just after 11 pm, after neighbours had reported hearing screaming and shouting. Er, they found at a top-floor flat of one of the buildings here two very young children, one a one-year old boy and a one-year old girl, er, believed to be twins, who both had very serious injuries. They were taken to hospital but the little boy, sadly, later died (audible pauses at this point).
And what do we know about the little girl’s condition?
Well, what we’ve heard from police last night is that she was taken to an East London hospital where she, er, was operated on yesterday, er, the update last night was that she remained in a critical but stable condition and we have had no other updates so far this morning.
Nobody has been charged.
Nobody has been charged, that we are, obviously waiting for any news that might come from this. We know that, er, Bidhya Sagar Das was arrested at 7.15, er, last night and there has been no update from The Metropolitan Police as yet.
Catherine thank you.