Si l’information en continu semble constituer un genre télévisuel aujourd’hui installé, le modèle d’information qu’elle propose fait l’objet de nombreuses questions concernant les effets de reprise de l’information et la nature même de celle-ci. Parce que la chaîne BFMTV cristallise ces questions critiques, il a semblé pertinent, au moment où elle a plus de dix ans d’existence, d’essayer de comprendre le type d’information dont il s’agit. D’autant qu’elle se présente dorénavant, dans un contexte de convergence médiatique, sur plusieurs supports évoluant au gré des pratiques et des possibilités techniques, qui poussent à se pencher sur le lien que la chaîne, via son dispositif, entretient avec ses usagers. Pensé selon une approche pragmatique, ce travail a ainsi pour ambition de mieux cerner les enjeux de l’information en continu mais aussi ses impacts sur l’information en général. / If 24-hour news channels today seem to constitute an established television genre, the type of information that they provide leaves many questions open concerning both the re-presentation of information and the latter’s very nature. Because the 24-hour news channel BFMTV incarnates those critical questions, it seems relevant, more than ten years after its creation, to examine the model of information that it provides. Moreover, in the context of media convergence, this channel is now transmitted on several platforms that evolve according to the user's practices and existing technical possibilities. This fact leads to a further examination of how the channel develops a relationship, through its technical possibilities, with its users. Deploying a pragmatic approach, this thesis aims to achieve a better understanding of what is at stake in continuous news cycles and also of the impact that the latter have on information in general.

本論文的研究目的在探討影響電視新聞編輯編排的因素，以及24小時新聞台編輯因應這些因素發展出來的編排策略。依照Shoemaker〈1991〉所提的影響守門人因素的五個層次，包括個人層面、常規層面、組織層面、媒介外層面以及社會文化層面，作為分析架構，藉此了解電視編輯對於各層面的因素對其影響的程度，問卷調查總計訪問了127位新聞台的編輯人員，再針對問卷調查的分析結果，以深度訪談的方式訪問7位編輯人員。研究結果發現個人層面對新聞台編輯的影響主要包括：編輯在新聞價值判斷上偏重新聞的話題性及畫面的精采度；而越年輕、職務越低的編輯再編排新聞時越容易受到個人喜好影響；另外「獨家新聞」無論其新聞價值性如何，編輯普遍都盡量會排播。 常規層面部分，最主要影響的因素是「時間」面向，包括到帶時間及新聞播出的時間篇幅限制；而編輯負責的編排時段也會影響新聞的選擇，如是「黃金時段」新聞選擇較多樣化，「一般時段」就會考量「消化」新聞；而編輯一次負責編排的時數也會影響新聞的重複率；另外，晚夜時段編輯較早午時段編輯不偏愛SNG連線。編輯通常會選播做新聞品質較有口碑的記者的新聞；另外，編輯普遍認為一則普通新聞長度最好不要超過90秒；而平衡報導的操作模式已內化在編輯的操作模式中。 組織層面部分，部份編輯認為電視台屬性確實會影響其編排；而年紀輕、資歷淺、職務低的編輯也較會受到長官指示編排新聞；在「以編領採」的新聞室內，其新聞製作及編排方向越會以收視率為導向；而組織文化會影響編輯對於新聞品質的要求；本研究也發現組織獎懲對於編輯編排的影響不大。 媒介外層面部分，有93.7%的編輯認為其編排時會考量收視率，而且教育程度越高、年資越久的編輯影響越高，顯示收視率已逐漸內化成編輯判斷新聞的實考模式，而且前一天的收視率對於新聞規模及擺放位置有關鍵性指標；在禁止「每分鐘收視率」之後，編輯通常是以新聞區塊或新聞節奏思考觀眾喜好的趨向。另外被要求編排「業配新聞」對編輯而言是習以為常的事，通常編輯會將之排在新聞的最後，或依照業配新聞的性質隱藏在其他新聞之間。另外年紀越輕、資歷越淺、職務越低的編輯越容易受到其他媒體議題設定的影響；而本研究也發現，編輯是電視新聞「跟報風」的推手之一。 在社會文化層面，編輯認為若社會環境趨勢也是影響其編排的重大指標。另外編輯也認為馬賽克、消音等製播限制有逐漸增加趨勢，甚至在編播上有自我更加限縮的情況。本研究也發現，媒體自律隱隱成形，對於暴力、色情、自殺新聞的選擇並沒有放寬，尤其是自殺新聞基本上不選用。 比較五個層面的影響程度，編輯普遍認為媒介外層面是最主要的原因，其次為個人層面、接續是社會層面、組織層面及常規層面。 關於編輯編排策略上，研究發現編排模式會融合固定新聞模式及議題分散模式為主；編排節奏也趨於緊湊；新聞編排的重複率降低。除了TVBS恢復「整點開播」之外，其他新聞台仍是提早開播，因TVBS「整點開播」模式對其他台的收視率無明顯受衝擊，因此其他台均認為沒有跟進的必要。「短廣告」策略出現，其目的是為了減低觀眾廣告轉台機率，並且分散每段廣告時間的廣告量；此策略目前僅TVBS使用，其他台為跟進的原因是考量其觀眾的收視習慣不同。本研究也發現監看友台而調動新聞順序的頻率減少；並且插播新聞也已非隨到隨播；另外「假連線」已成目前新聞台的製播常態。 / This thesis aims to investigate the factors affecting TV news editing and the responsive strategy developed by editors in 24-hour news channel. It adopts Shoemaker’s (1991) five levels of gatekeeping decisions and forces, including individual, communication routines, organizational, extramedia, and social system level. Based on this analytical framework, the research was conducted by survey of 127 editors which was followed by in-depth interview of 7 editors. The research findings can be summarized into the five levels respectively. On individual level, editors preferred to evaluate news with the extent of controversy and excitement; the younger and lower-positioned editors were more easily to be subjective in editing news. Furthermore, “exclusive news” enjoyed higher priority to be broadcast regardless of its news value. On communication routine level, the influential factors are “time-related”. First, editors were concerned about the timing of videotape arriving and limited length of broadcasting time. Second, the session for which editors were responsible was also important. The news was more diversified in “prime time”, but more repetitive in “general session”. Third, editors of morning and noon sessions were more likely to conduct SNG connection than editors of late night session. Fourth, editors preferred to broadcast the news reported by reporters with fine reputation. Moreover, the consensus among editors was that general news should not be longer than ninety seconds; the principle of balanced report has been internalized in editors’ operational model. On organizational level, interviewees agreed that attributes of the channel and organizational culture were more consequential than reward system in news editing. The younger, lower-positioned, and junior editors were more likely to follow instructions from supervisors. Generally, the producing and editing of news were rating-oriented. On extramedia level, 93.7 per cent of interviewees would consider rating in news editing, especially the more educated and senior editors. This result indicated that rating has been internalized as the standard of editing. Specifically, the pridian rating is critical in deciding the length and placement of news in the following day. However, after the “rating per minute” was prohibited, editors inferred audience preference from news zone or news rhythm. Furthermore, “product placement” was placed in the end of or among other news according to its characteristics. This study also found that editors partook in promoting the trend of “follow suit” TV news. On social system level, editors thought that the social trend was critical in editing news. Some editors considered that constraints of broadcast such as blurring and muting were increasing which made editors more self-limited. This study also found that media self-regulation was in shape. The news about violence, pornography, and suicide were highly restricted or even abandoned. Based on interviewees’ response, the five levels can be listed in order of the extent of influence. The primary factors were on extramedia level which followed individual level, social system level, organizational level, and the communication routine level. This study found that editing strategies include: combination of fixed news model and issue diffusion model, tighter schedule, lower rate of repetition, and “short advertisement”. The last one was only used by TVBS channel in order to keep audience stay tune and to dilute quantity of advertisement in every intervals. TVBS was the only channel resuming “on the hour” news. Since this broadcast model had no significant impact on TV rating, other channels remained broadcasting a few minutes earlier. Last but not least, this study also found that “fake connection” has been commonly used and emergency news would not be broadcast on time. Fewer changes of broadcasting order due to monitoring news of other channels.

Cette œuvre représente une tentative cherchant à mettre en lumière les facteurs qui expliquent la visée des chaînes transnationales de l’information pour créer cet effet de neutralité dans la couverture éditoriale des conflits. Elle analyse également les conditions qui rendent possibles cette stratégie par les limites internes de la rédaction, ainsi que par le biais des attentes des publics. La position privilégiée de l'auteur, qui a depuis plus d'une décennie travaillé comme journaliste au sein de l'équipe éditoriale internationale d'Euronews, lui a permis de tester ses hypothèses et les constatations de l'intérieur de la chaine. Cette thèse examine les stratégies éditoriales des grands chaînes paneuropéens et mondiales d'information, en les plaçant dans la perspective de l'évolution historique de la diffusion transnationale et en analysant des évolutions actuelles dans le contexte de la mondialisation. En se concentrant en particulier sur la question de la neutralité déclarée habituellement dans les politiques éditoriales de ces chaînes, l'étude analyse les divergences dans l'interprétation de ce principe de base aussi bien par les équipes éditoriales comme par des groupes cibles des différents organismes de télédiffusion – un phénomène crucial qui créent des identités distinctes derrière la neutralité prétendue des flux d'information. Les méthodes employées dans la préparation de cette thèse intègrent l’observation participante à l’intérieur d’une chaine de nouvelles internationales de premier plan, une analyse de la perception du contenu des nouvelles par des téléspectateurs se classant parmi des camps politiques antagonistes, et une revue de la littérature et des publications périodiques russes et européennes. / This work represents an attempt to shed light onto the factors that explain the yearning of the transnational news channels to creating the impression of editorial neutrality in conflict coverage. It also demonstrates the conditionality of this guideline by the internal editorial limitations, as well as by the bias of the audience groups. The privileged position of the author, who has for more than a decade been working as a staff journalist within the international editorial team of Euronews, allowed him to test his hypotheses and findings from within. This dissertation examines the editorial strategies of the major paneuropean and global news channels, putting them in the perspective of historical evolution of transnational broadcasting and analysing the current developments in the context of the globalising world of today. Focusing in particular on the issue of commonly declared neutrality in the channels' editorial policies, the study analyses divergencies in interpreting this basic principle both by the editorial teams and by various audience groups of different broadcasters, creating distinct identities behind the supposedly neutral informational flows. The methods employed in preparing this dissertation include involved observational research of a leading international news channel, the analysis of the perception of news content by viewers ranking among confronting political camps, and reviews of topical Russian and European periodicals and literature.