Radio and Television News Commentary

Author: Wang Zhenyou
Editor-in-Chief: Li Ying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features:
Segment: Chapter News Commentary and Its Genre Characteristics Broadcast news commentary and television news commentary (hereinafter referred to as "broadcast commentary" and "television commentary," respectively) are products of the integration of news commentary genres and broadcast and television media. To better grasp and utilize this genre from the perspective of the communication characteristics of broadcast and television media, it is necessary to first gain a comprehensive understanding of this genre and its basic features and requirements. This will be elaborated in two chapters on the genre of news commentary. This chapter will discuss the basic features of the genre, while the next chapter will cover the elements and common forms of the genre.
Section Definition of News Commentary How should we view the genre of news commentary? People's perceptions of news commentary, like their perceptions of news, always evolve alongside the development of the news industry and news work. Many maxims that once reflected contemporary commentary practices have become historical relics and cannot explain current commentary phenomena. So, based on the present and foreseeable future, how should we view this genre? What exactly is news commentary? What is news commentary? With almost every new book on the subject, a new definition emerges. The coexistence of multiple definitions is a common phenomenon in the study of news genres. On one hand, it indicates the vitality of the news field, where new practices continuously change, enrich, and refine existing genres, requiring genre studies to provide new summaries and interpretations. On the other hand, it reflects the efforts of researchers to break through established conventions and make new discoveries and innovations. The same applies to the definition of news commentary. This diversity of views is not only normal but also encouraging. The purpose of exploring the definition of news commentary is to clarify the boundaries that distinguish it from other genres and to summarize its objective necessity for existence and development. To achieve this purpose, the definition process must adhere to the following principles: (1) always examine news commentary as a news genre; (2) focus on revealing its basic features; (3) objectively examine its relationship with contemporary news media and audiences. Therefore, the definition of news commentary can be broadly summarized as follows: news commentary is a political commentary genre widely used by various contemporary news media and oriented toward a broad audience. Relatively speaking, news commentary is a relatively young and still developing form of writing within modern news genres. Despite this, when examining and defining this genre, it is still necessary to maintain a historical, practical, and developmental perspective to accurately describe its past, present, and future, thereby guiding the genre toward healthy development. Contemporary news commentary is neither an "extraterrestrial" nor an "imported" phenomenon; rather, it is deeply rooted in the long-standing traditions of national argumentative and political essays. Although it was once a print genre, the emergence of news agencies, broadcasting, and television has evolved it into a "genre family" comprising multiple members. Commentaries across various media are adapting to the unique communication methods and characteristics of each medium, developing and refining their individual features. This is a significant development in the history of news commentary, not only expanding its scope of application but also endowing it with immense vitality, driving continuous evolution and change. As a result, contemporary news commentary is no longer solely a print genre but has become a shared genre across various news media; it is no longer just a literary style—or not entirely one—and has become a multi-symbolic form of expression. For example, broadcast commentary employs sound symbols that include spoken language and other audio elements, while television commentary combines both sound and image symbols. This development and transformation continue to this day, with not only broadcast and television commentary further refining their individual features but also print commentary exploring new forms and methods of expression. The future landscape of the "news commentary family" may be difficult to predict precisely, but adapting to the needs of audiences and media and moving toward diversified content and form will be an inevitable trend.