Breaking the News' is the story of a pioneering media studies project, culminating in Newsday when a student team produces its own news bulletin at ITN. Pupils of 14 and over from nine schools follow a specially devised online course about TV news. The film tracks pupils from one of the schools, The Grays School Media Arts College in Essex, as they audition for the role of presenter, film a local news story (about an art deco cinema in Grays) and master the skills of scripting and editing. Two pupils from each school then spend two days at ITN producing the final Breaking the News bulletin. We follow the team as they become confident presenters and news journalists, crafting the bulletin from the best stories made by the participating schools with a little advice from Channel 4 staff, including Jon Snow. With the course, the editing tool and ITN news rushes online at www.c4breakingthenews.co.uk, this film shows media studies teachers how to organise Newsday in their own school.

Video Series: Breaking the News
Release Date 2006